HISTORY  OF  PRINCETON, 


WORCESTER  COUNTY,  MASSACHUSETTS ;. 


CIVIL  AND    ECCLESIASTICAL; 


/ram  tb  /feat  irftferat  in  1730, 


TO    APRIL    1852. 


BY 


JEREMIAH  LYFORD  HANAFORD. 


'i 


<l  Those  matters  which  possess  a  natural  interest  to  a  particular  neighbor- 
hood, from  association  with  familiar  names  and  places,  should  be  of  interest 
to  every  one,  who  seeks,  in  the  experience  of  the  past,  for  that  wisdom  which 
may  be  derived  from  a  knowledge  of  what  those  who  lived  before  us  have 
done  or  suffered — wherein  they  have  erred  and  in  what  respects  they  have 
judged  rightly." 


WORCESTER: 

C.    BUCKINGHAM    WEBB,    PRINTER. 

1852. 


F7* 


PREFACE 


In  the  following  pages  the  author  has  aimed  to  present  a 
brief,  yet  distinct  statement,  of  the  prominent  events  in  the 
history  of  the  town  of  Princeton.  Particular  attention  has 
been  directed  to  the  various  trials,  toils,  and  hardships  of  the 
early  settlers, — to  the  spirited  resolutions  and  acts  of  the 
citizens  in  the  period  of  the  revolution, — to  the  difficulties 
that  presented  themselves  in  the  organization  of  our  federal 
government,  as  far  as  they  had  to  do  with  the  acts  of  the 
people, — to  the  ecclesiastical  history, — and  to  tracing  the 
progress  of  the  town  in  its  march  of  prosperity  through  the 
period  of  years  which  have  rolled  onward  since  the  first 
settlement.  Throughout  the  composition,  he  has  confined 
himself  almost  exclusively  to  facts — having  his  eye  upon  the 
original  documents — which,  so  far  as  he  is  capable  of  judging 
himself,  have  been  presented  with  entire  impartiality.  The 
work  was  commenced  and  prosecuted  with  an  ardent  desire  to 
benefit  and  interest,  not  only  the  citizens  of  this  town,  but  also 
those  of  the  adjoining  towns,  and  of  the  State  generally.  It  is 
true  that  this  is  a  local  history  ;  yet  the  reminiscences  of  events 
that  have  transpired  in  this  vicinity,  anecdotes  of  men  who  have 
lived  here,  the  record  of  their  manners  and  habits,  all  constitute 
a  tributary  stream  to  the  general  current  of  our  country's  histo* 
ry.  "All  history  should  be,  and  American  history  in  particular 
must  be,  the  history  of  the  people.  Not  an  account  of  the  pro- 
ceedings of  a  court,  of  the  operations  of  a  government  only 
but  of  what  the  people  have  been  doing  in  villages,  and  com- 


M293299 


IV  PREFACE. 

munities,  and  families.  Here  things  lie  at  the  foundation  of  na- 
tional character  and  sentiments,  and  consequently  of  national 
events.  We  are  carried  by  this  means  behind  the  scenes,  or 
rather  into  the  scenes,  of  private  history,  and  shown  what  are 
really  the  secret  springs  of  public  history." 

The  volume  we  have  thus  drawn  up,  makes  no  pretensions 
to  attractiveness,  otherwise  than  the  nature  of  the  subject,  and 
the  facts  exhibited,  may  be  attractive. 

Many  things  worthy  to  be  perpetuated,  have,  no  doubt,  for  the 
want  of  information,  been  omitted  ;  accuracy,  however,  has  been 
the  constant  aim  of  the  author.  Materials  have  been  collected 
from  sources  as  various  as  can  be  readily  imagined  by  individ- 
uals who  have  not  attempted  a  similar  work, — the  most  of  which 
it  will  not  be  thought  necessary  to  specify  particularly.  The 
Town  Books,  Church  and  Society  Records,  and  various  Publi- 
cations, were  of  course,  carefully  examined.  Many  of  the 
facts  here  presented,  were  obtained  from  a  History  of  Princeton, 
written  some  years  since  by  Charles  Theodore  Russell,  Esq.,  to 
whom  we  would  here  publicly  acknowledge  our  indebtedness. 
We  are  also  particularly  indebted  to  several  of  the  aged  peo- 
ple whom  we  have  consulted. 

That  this,  our  effort  has  many  imperfections,  and  some  slight 
inaccuracies,  is  extremely  probable  ;  yet  we  dismiss  it,  to  those 
for  whom  it  was  compiled,  with  the  hope  that  it  may  prove  to 
be  interesting  and  profitable  to  them.  The  Author. 

Princeton,  April  1, 1852. 


CONTENTS. 


CIVIL      AFFAIRS. 

CHAPTER  I. 

General  History— Purchase  of  the  Indians — Proprietors'  Petition— Order  of 
General  Court— Division  of  the  Twelve  miles'  Square  of  the  Indian  Pur- 
chase—Rutland East  Wing— Watertown  Farms— First  Settlement— Loss 
of  Robert  Keyes'  Daughter — Incorporation  of  the  District— Dr.  Harvey — 
First  Town  Meeting — First  Roads 

CHAPTER  II. 

Character  of  the  First  Settlers— Their  Ancestry— Increase  of  Population- 
Province  Lands— Land  granted  by  the  General  Court  to  the  First  settled 
Minister— Petition  to  be  Incorporated  as  a  Town — Act  of  Incorporation — 
Opposition  of  the  Town  to  the  addition  of  Territory— First  Representa- 
tive— Boundary 24 

CHAPTER  III. 

American  Revolution — First  expression  of  the  town  in  relation  to  revolutionary 
measures — Resolutions — Committee  of  Correspondence — Alarm — Prepara- 
tions for  War — Instructions  to  Representative — Declaration  of  Rights — 
Bounty  to  the  Minute  Men — The  citizens  leave  their  homes  for  the  Con- 
test—Trouble with  Rev.  Mr.  Fuller— Declaration  of  Independence— Regu- 
lation of  the  currency — War  terminated.  .' 31 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Insurrection— Distress  of  the  People— County  Convention— Instructions  to 
Col.  Sargent — Grievances — Courts  suspended — Capt.  Gale  at  the  Court 
House — Court  of  Sessions  interrupted — Preparations  of  Government — 
Daniel  Shays — Forces  of  Insurgents— Insurgents  occupy  the  Court  House — 
Consultation  of  the  Insurgents — The  Retreat — Gen.  Lincoln's  Army — 
Termination  of  the  Rebellion — Henry  Gale 52 


VI  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  V. 

Political  History — Adoption  of  the  National  Constitution — Funeral  Honors  to 
Washington — Embargo — Petitions  to  President  Jefferson,  and  to  the  Le- 
gislature of  Massachusetts — Opposition  to  the  War  with  England — Reso- 
lutions— First  Town  House — Benefactions  of  Mr.  Boylston — Adoption  of 
Amendments  to  the  State  Constitution — Part  of  No  Town  annexed — New 
Town  House— Proposed  Division  of  the  County — Incidents  in  Local 
History. 67 

ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY. 
CHAPTER  VI. 

Introductory  Remarks — First  Preaching  in  Town — Attempts  to  erect  a  Meet- 
ing House — Committee  to  measure  the  District, — Building  of  Meeting  House 
— Assignment  of  Places  in  Church — Church  Music; — Church  Covenant — 
Uusuccessful  attempt  to  settle  a  Minister — Call  to  Mr  Fuller — His  Ordina- 
tion— Covenant  of  Admission — First  Deacons  and  Present  to  the  Church — 
Complaints  against  Mr.  Fuller — His  Reply — Ecclesiastical  Council— Mr. 
Fuller's  Dismission — Suit  against  Town — Biographical  Notice  of  Mr. 
Fuller 81 

CHAPTER    VII. 

Unsuccessful  efforts  for  a  re-establishment  of  the  Gospel  Ministry — Settlement 
of  Mr.  Crafts — He  requests  a  Dismission — Letter  to  him — Rev.  Mr.  Good- 
rich— New  Meeting  House — Mr.  Russell's  Settlement — Dedication  of 
Meeting  House— Mr.  Russell's  Dismission— Settlement  of  Mr.  Murdock — 
First  General  Revival  of  Religion  in  Town — Church  Covenant — Mr.  Mur- 
dochs Dismission. 98 

CHAPTER  VIIT. 

Religious  Divisions — Attempt  to  settle  Rev.  Mr.  Clarke— Remonstrance  of  the 
Church— Church  has  a  right  to  choose  its  own  Pastor— Mr.  Clarke's  Re- 
ply to  Call— Second  effort  of  the  Town  to  settle  Mr.  Clarke — His  Reply — 
Petition  circulated  through  the  Towa— Call  of  Mutual  Council— Its  Re- 
sult—Protest  of  the  Minority— Mr.  Clarke's  Covenant— Third  Call  of  the 
Town  to  Mr.  Clarke — His  Reply  and  Settlement 113 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Call  of  Council  by  the  Church— Result— Organization  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church— Ruling  Elders— Call  to  Mr.  Bond — Accessions  to  the  Church 
and    Congregation— New   Meeting  House— Seizure  of  Property  to  pay 


CONTENTS.  Vll 

Ministerial  Rates — Seizure  of  the  body — Mr.  John  H.  Brooks  carried  to 
jail — Suit,  Samuel  Brooks  vs.  Town — Mutual  Settlement  of  the  Contro- 
versy— Settlement  of  Mr.  Phillips— Origin  of  Division — Mr.  Clarke's  Dis- 
mission— Biographical  Notice — Proposal  for  a  Union— First  Parish,  and 
Mr.  Cowles5  Settlement  and  Dismission. 130 

CHAPTER  X. 

Farther  Measures  for  a  Union— Call  of  a  Council — Result — Proceeding  upon 
it — Objections — Votes  of  First  Parish — Votes  of  Evangelical  Society — 
Action  of  Congregational  Church — Doings  of  the  Council's  Committee — 
Societies  unite — Mr.  Phillips  at  the  House  of  the  First  Parish — His  return 
to  his  former  place  of  labor— Church  Meetings 142 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Attempts  to  effect  a  Reconciliation — Further  examination  proffered,  with  a 
plan  therefor — Amendment  Proposed — Objections  to  Amendment — Call  of 
Exparte  Council — Mr.  Phillips'  letter  to  the  Council — Result  of  Council — 
Mr.  Phillips'  Dismission — Biographical  Notice — Meetings  suspended  at  the 
Meeting  House  of  First  Parish — Mr.  Demond's  settlement  over  First  Par- 
ish— Disaffected  ask  for  a  Dismission — Call  of  Council — Result — Mr.  Har- 
ding's Settlement  and  Dismission — Mr.  Goldsmith's  Settlement  and  Dis- 
mission—Call of  Mr.  Hitchcock 160 

CHAPTER    XII. 

METHODIST    EPISCOPAL    CHURCH. 

Introduction  of  Methodism  into  Princeton — Messrs.  Lewis  and  Fay  join  Class 
at  Worcester — First  Methodist  Preaching  by  Rev.  James  Porter — Revival  of 
Religion  under  the  Labors  of  Rev.  Mr.  Paine — Formation  of  Classes — 
Hubbardston  and  Rutland  made  Stations — New  Meeting  House — First 
Quarterly  Conference — Purchase  of  Furniture  for  Parsonage — Present 
to  the  Church  —  Stationed  Preachers  —  Munificence  of  Mrs.  Nabby 
Brooks 172 

CHAPTER   XIII. 

THE    BAPTIST    CHURCH. 

Formation  of  the  Baptist  Society— First  Baptist  in  Town— First  Preaching — 
Rev.  Mr.  Andrews — Organization  of  the  Church — Articles  of  Faith — Rev. 
Mr.  Walker— Rev.  Mr.  Johnson — Settlement  and  Dismission  of  Mr.  Morse 
— Call  and  Settlement  of  Mr.  Lovel — His  Dismission — Settlement  of  Mr. 
Ball— Settlement  of  Mr.  Cunningham — Accessions  to  the  Church— Dis- 
mission of  Mr.  Cunningham— Temporary  Supply  of  the  Pulpit.    .       176 


Vlll  GONTENTS. 

MISCELLANEOUS    MATTERS. 
CHAPTER   XIV. 

First  Public  School  in  Town— Division  of  the  Town  into  School  Districts- 
Appropriations  for  Schooling — Select  Schools — Munificence  of  John 
Brooks,  Esq. — Native  Ministers 183 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Biographical  Notices— Physicians — Postmasters— Public  Buildings— Accom- 
modations "at  the  Wachusett  Hotel— Streams  and  Ponds— Wachusett 
Mountain— Hills — Products ley 


APPENDIX. 

List  of  Officers  chosen  at  Town  Meeting,  1761, 197 

Location  of  Roads,  1784, ib. 

Petition  of  Rev.  Mr.  Fuller  and  Resolve  of  General  Court  thereupon,.  .  .  198 
A  Document,  containing  an  imperfect  account  oi  the  number  of  men  fur. 

nished  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  at  the  expense  of  the  town,.  .  .  200 

List  of  Votes  for  Governor  since  1780, , 201 

Municipal  Officers  from  1760  to  1762, 202 


HISTORY  OF  PRINCETON, 


CIVIL    AFFAIRS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

General  History — Purchase  of  the  Indians — Proprietors'  Petition — Order  of 
General  Court — Division  of  the  Twelve  miles'  Square  of  the  Indian  Pur- 
chase— Rutland  East  Wing — Watertown  Farms — First  Settlement— Loss 
of  Robert  Keyes'  Daughter— Incorporation  of  the  District— Dr.  Harvey- 
First  Town  Meeting — First  Roads. 

*        •  * 

After  the  first  settlement  of  Massachusetts,  but  a 
few  years  elapsed  before  the  hand  of  industry  penetrated 
far  and  fast  into  the  uncultivated   wilderness.     In  1628, 
but  eight  years  after  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims,  Salem 
was  settled.     In  1629  Lynn  was  inhabited.     Boston  and 
Cambridge  and  Watertown  were  founded  in  1(330.    The 
stream  of  emigration  soon  began  to  flow  westward  from 
its  fountain.     In   1035  Concord  was  purchased  of  the 
Indians  and  a  settlement  commenced.     In  1638  Sudbury 
was  planted,  and  Marlborough  was  incorporated   but  a 
few  years  subsequent  to  that  period.     The  increasing 
population    pushed  farther   onward   the  frontier   of  im- 
provement.    The   fertile   region  in  the  vicinity  of  Wor- 
cester   attracted    the  attention  of  the  early  settlers  of 
Massachusetts.     The  first  settlement  in  the  County  of 
Worcester  was  made  in  Lancaster,  in  1645.     Mendon 
is  a  very  ancient  town,  the  second  in  age  in  the  County. 
Brookfield  was  incorporated   by  an  Act  of  the  Legisla- 
2 


10  INDIAN    DEED. 

ture  in  1660.  Oxford  embraces  a  tract  of  land  which 
was  a  grant  made  to  certain  individuals  by  government 
in  1682. 

On  the  22nd  of  December,  1686,  Joseph  Trask,  alias 
Puagastion,  of  Pennicook ;  Job,  alias  Pompamamay  ; 
James  Wiser,  alias  Qualipunit;  Sassawannow,  of  Natick, 
and  Simon  Pilicom,  alias  Wananapan,  of  Wamassick, — 
five  Indians,  who  claimed  to  be  lords  of  the  soil,  gave 
and  executed  a  deed  to  Henry  Willard,  Joseph  Row- 
landson,  Joseph  Foster,  Benjamin  Willard,  and  Cyprian 
Stevens,  in  consideration  of  twenty-three  pounds  of  the 
then  currency,  of  a  certain  tract  of  land,  twelve  mile? 
square,  going  under  the  general  name  of  Naquag,  and 
bounded  as  follows :  "  The  south  corner  butting  upon 
Muscopague  Pond,  and  running  north  to  Quanitick  and 
to  Wanchatopick,  and  so  running  upon  great  Watchu- 
sett,  which  is  the  north  corner  ;  so  running  northwest 
to  Wallamanumpscook,  and  so  to  Quapuanimawick,  a 
little  pond,  and  so  to  Asnaconcomick  Pond,  which  is  the 
northwest  corner ;  and  so  running  south  and  so  to  Muss- 
hauge  a  great  swamp,  and  so  to  Sussahatassick  which  :s 
the  south  corner :  and  so  running  ea§t  to  Pascutick- 
quage,  and  so  to  Ahumpatunshauge,  a  little  pond, 
and  so  to  Sumpauge  Pond,  and  to  Muscopague, 
which  is  the  east  corner."  This  Indian  deed,  signed 
and  acknowledged  by  the  above  named  Indians,  was  re- 
ceived April  14,  1714,  and  recorded  in  the  Registry 
of  Deeds  for  Middlesex  County,  Vol.  xvi,  p.  511, — 
Worcester  County  not  having  been  incorporated  until 
April  2,  1731. 

That  this  deed  did  not  give  to  the  grantees  an  indis- 
putable legal  title  to  the  territory  it  purported  to  convey 
is  evident.     For  prior  discovery,  or   occupancy,  by  the 


ORDER  OF  GENERAL  COURT.  11 

Indians,  was  not  acknowledged  by  our  legislators  and 
courts  as  creating  any  fee  in  the  soil  ;  while  discovery 
by  the  English  was  recognized  as  vesting  all  lands,  me- 
diately or  immediately,  in  the  Crown.  Consequently, 
vis  this  tract  of  land  was  included  in  the  grant  to  the 
colony  of  Massachusetts,  any  conveyance  of  it  by  the 
natives  must  be  invalid  until  sanctioned  by  the  Provin- 
cial legislature.  And  that  the  original  purchasers,  re- 
garded the   deed    as  worthless  is  also  obvious.     For  a 

ft) 

little  more  than  twenty-six  years  subsequent  to  its  date, 
we  find  that  the  General  Court  on  the  23d  of  February, 
1713,  upon  the  Petition  of  the  sons  and  grandsons  of 
.Major  Simon  Willard  *  of  Lancaster,  deceased,  and  the 
other  heirs  of  the  grantees,  for  approbation  and  confirm- 
ation of  their  title  to  the  above  tract  of  land,  passed  an 
Order,  "  That  the  lands  in  the  Indian  deed,  and  accord- 
in  <*  to  their  buts  and  bounds,  be  confirmed  to  the  child- 
ren  of  the  said  Simon  Willard,  deceased,  or  to  their 
legal  representatives,  and  to  the  other  petitioners,  or  their 
legal  representatives,  and  associates,  provided  that  with- 
in seven  years  time  there  be  sixty  families  settled  thereon 
and  sufficient  lands  reserved  for  the  use  of  a  gospel  min- 
istry and  schools,  except  what  part  thereof  the  Hon. 
Samuel  Sewall,  Esq.  hath  already  purchased,  and  that 
this  grant  shall  not  encroach  upon  any  former  grant 
or  grants,  nor  exceed  the  quantity  of  twelve  miles 
square.  The  town  to  be  called  Rutland,  and  to  liye  to 
tiie  County  of  Middlesex."  The  tract  of  land  purchas- 
ed of   the  Indians,  which   was  thus  conditionally   con- 


*  Thi*  was  the  famous  Major  Willard,  who  marched  with  46  men  from  Lan- 
caster to  Brookfleld,  in  1G75,  for  the  relief  of  the  little  band  there  surrounded 
l.y  in  >rc  than  300  Indiana,  and  whose  memory  has  been  unhappily  slandered 
by  tradition. 


12  DIVISION  OF  TERRITORY. 

firmed,  comprised  in  all  93,160  acres,  including  1,000 
acres  owned  by  Hon.  Mr.  Sevvall;  and  was  surveyed  by 
William  Ward  in  October,  1715.  This  purchase,  with 
the  exception  of  that  owned  by  Mr.  Sewall,  was  dis- 
tributed among  the  heirs  of  the  original  grantees  in 
thirty-three  shares  :  Joseph  Foster  had  two,  and  the 
others  had  one  share  each. 

The  proprietors,  at  a  meeting  held  Dec.  14,  1715,  at 
Boston,  voted  to  survey  six  miles  square  of  the  territory, 
for  the  settlement  of  sixty-two  families,  in  order  to  the 
fulfillment  of  the  condition  of  the  grant  of  1713.  The 
settlers,  on  the  11th  of  August,  1720,  entered  into  a 
written  agreement  with  the  proprietors,  and  bound 
themselves  by  certain  articles,  signed  and  witnessed. 
And  on  the  26th  of  June,  1721,  this  six  miles  square 
•was  confirmed  to  the  settlers  by  the  proprietors,  and  it 
now  composes  the  town  of  Rutland,  which  was  incor- 
porated by  an  Act  of  the  Legislature,  May  30,  1722. 

Of  the  remainder  of  the  Twelve  miles'  Square,  one 
portion,  known  as  "  Rutland  District,"  was,  by  an  Act 
of  the  Legislature,  incorporated  on  the  14th  of  June, 
1774,  and  called  Barre,  as  a  token  of  respect  to  a  wor- 
thy friend  of  America,  at  that  time  a  member  of  the 
British  House  of  Commons  ;  a  second  portion,  called 
"  the  Northeast  quarter  of  Rutland,"  was  incorporated 
on  the  13th  day  of  June,  1767,  and  called  Hubbardstou, 
to  perpetuate  the  name  and  memory  of  the  Hon.  Thomas 
Hubbard,  Esq.  of  Boston,  who  had  been  sometime 
Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  a  member  of 
the  Corporation  of  Harvard  University  in  Cambridge, 
and  a  large  proprietor  of  lands  in  Rutland  original 
grant ;  a  third  portion  was  styled  "  Rutland  West  Wing" 
until   the  year    1759,  when  the   inhabitants  had  certain 


RLTLAND  EAST  WING.  13 

privileges  granted  them,  and  the  place  was  called  the 
c<  Precinct  of  Rutland  West  Wing"  until  its  incorpora- 
tion by  an  Act  of  the  Legislature,  June  7,  1762,  when 
the  name  of  Oakham  was  given  to  it  ;  a  fourth  portion, 
with  an  equal  tract  from  the  town  of  Leicester,  was  in- 
corporated on  the  12th  of  February,  1765,  as  the  town 
of  Paxton — named  after  Charles  Paxton,  a  commissioner 
of  the  customs;  while  the  remaining  portion,  known  as 
''Rutland  East  Wing,"  and  comprising  11,626  acres, 
now  constitutes  the  southerly  and  greater  part  of  Prince- 
ton. The  last  mentioned  tract  is  the  only  portion  of 
the  original  purchase  with  which  we  are  intimately 
concerned  in  this  work. 

Agreeable  to  a  vote  of  the  proprietors,  this  tract  was 
surveyed  and  laid  out  into  forty-eight  farms,  of  two 
hundred  and  thirty-seven  acres  each  and  numbered  by 
letters,  and  a  strip  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  acres  undi- 
vided, which  now  includes  the  "Pout-water"  and  "  Let- 
ter M "  lots.  Rev.  Thomas  Prince,  then  colleague 
pastor  of  the  Old  South  Church,  Boston,  was  by  far  the 
largest  proprietor  of  the  tract,  he  owning  nearly  three 
thousand  acres,  the  most  of  which  subsequently  came 
into  the  possession  of  the  late  Ward  N.  Boylston,  Esq. 
The  entire  tract  was  bounded  on  the  north  and  east  by 
the  line  which  separated  it  from  several  farms  termed 
"  Watertown  Farms,"  and  which  in  the  Indian  deed  is 
described  *  as  running  from  "  Wanchatopick,"  now  de- 

*  The  line  referred  to  crosses  the  Boston  road  near  the  "Great  Maple,"  at 
the  foot  of  the  "  Whitney  hill,"  and,  running  northwest,  leaving  the  farms  of 
the  late  Jabez  G.  Read  and  Harlow  Skinner  a  little  to  the  norih,  constitutes 
the  dividing  line  between  those  of  Messrs.  Elisha  &.  Charles  A.  Mirick  and 
Mi>  Davis.  "After  reaching  the  height  of  land  near  Mr.  Enoch  Brooks's,  it 
pursues  a  southeasterly  direction  and  meets  Hubbardston  line  on  the  land  oi 
Ezra  Brooks." 

2* 


14  WATERTOWN  FARMS. 

nominated  Rutland  Pond,  to  "Great  Watchusett ;"  on 
the  south  by  Rutland  and  Holden  ;  and  on  the  west  by 
Ilubbardston.  The  original  proprietors,  at  the  before 
mentioned  meeting  in  Boston,  Dec.  14,  1715,  chose  a 
committee,  to  which  the  absolute  control  of"  the  concerns 
of  the  proprietary  was  entrusted,  and  who  made  the  first 
conveyance  of  any  portion  of  said  territory,  subsequent 
to  the  purchase  of  the  Indians  in  1686. 

Another  portion  of  territory,  now  comprised  in  the 
town  of  Princeton,  was  the  "  Watertown  Farms." 
"  This  was  a  tract  of  about  three  thousand  acres,  granted, 
tradition  says,  by  the  General  Court  to  the  town  of 
Watertown,  to  aid  in  building  and  maintaining  a  bridge. 
I  find,  after  diligent  inquiry,  no  record  existing  of  the 
grant,  nor  any  act  or  clue,  by  which  its  date,  or  specific 
purpose,  other  than  that  above  stated,  can  be  ascertain- 
ed. It  dates,  probably,  about  the  year  1745,  and  was  re- 
garded as  of  little  or  no  value.  The  line  bounding  it 
on  the  north  and  east,  ran  from  the  north  boundary  of 
Rutland  East  Wing,  beginning  at  a  stake  and  stones  in 
the  'pine  woods'  on  land  of"  Sewell  Richardson,*  "near- 
ly due  north  to  a  stake  and  stones,  still  existing,  at  the 
corner  of  lands  owned  by  Dea.  Israel  Howe,  James 
Brown,  and  formerly  by  Charles  Gregory,  now  by  Dan- 
iel Parker.  Thence  it  pursues  nearly  a  westerly  direc- 
tion, crossing  the  county  road  near  the  mill-dam  of 
James  Brown,  and  passing  a  little  to  the  south  of  Dea. 
Howe's  dwelling-house,  over  the  top  of  Pine  hill,  to  the 
easterly  side  of  VVachusett.  Whence  it  pursues  a  crook- 
ed southerly  course,  on  the  side  of  the  mountain,  to  the 
aforesaid  line  of  Rutland  East  Wing,  which  it  meets  at 
a  stake  and    stones  on    land    of  Enoch    Brooks.     This 

*  Formerly  owned  by  the  late  Col.  John  Whitney. 


FIRST    SETTLEMENT.  15 

tract  was  sold  by  the  town  of  Watertown  to  sundry  pro- 
prietors. At  a  meeting  of  these,  soon  after  the  convey- 
ance, a  committee,  of  whom  I  believe  Jonas  Harrington, 
grandfather  of  the"  late  Capt.  Benjamin  Harrington, 
"was  chairman,  was  chosen  to  survey  the  territory,  and 
divide  it  into  farms  of  equal  value.  This  accounts  for 
the  inequality  in  extent  of  the  lots,  some  containing 
nearly  double  the  number  of  acres  of  others.  After  the 
completion  of  this  survey  and  division,  the  lots  were 
numbered  and  drawn  by  the  original  proprietors,  some  of 
whom  settled  on  the  farms  thus  obtained,  while  the 
greater  portion  made  a  second  conveyance  of  them  to 
settlers."* 

We  can  find  no  records  which  lead  us  to  conclude 
that  any  settlement  was  made  on  either  of  the  above- 
mentioned  tracts  of  land  previous  to  1739.  The  soli- 
tude of  the  wilderness  had  remained  unbroken,  unless 
the  occasional  report  of  a  huntsman's  gun,  or  the  shrill 
whoop  of  the  Indian,  echoing  among  the  hills,  aroused 
the  timid  deer,  or  hungry  wolf.  Tradition  says  that 
numbers  of  both  these  continued  in  the  vicinity,  some- 
time after  the  first  settlers  made  their  homes  in  the  wil- 
derness. Some  more  than  a  century  had  now  elapsed, 
since  the  Pilgrims  disembarked  from  the  Mayflower, 
upon  the  shores  of  New  England.  It  had  been  a  cen- 
tury of  great  labor, — of  hardships,  perils  and  wars, —  to 
the  first  settlers  of  the  country.  During  this  time,  the 
colonies  were  continually  increasing  in  population  and 
importance.  Every  year  witnessed  new  settlements  in 
the  wilderness.  About  this  period — Spring  of  1739, — 
Mr.  Joshua  Wilder  removed  from  Lancaster,  and  clear- 
ed a  small  spot,  beside  the  brook,  a  little  east  of  the  dwel- 

*  Russell's  History  of  Princeton,  pp.  3,  4. 


16  FIRST  SETTLEMENT. 

ling  house  on  the  farm  owned  by  the  lute  Peabody 
Houghton,  and  erected  thereon  a  log  house,  in  which  he 
with  his  family  resided  for  many  years;  probably  until 
1  760.  "  Mr.  Wilder  was  a  saddler  by  trade,  and  the  son 
of  Capt.  Nathaniel  Wilder  of  Lancaster,  a  man  sorn< - 
what  renowned,  in  the  annals  of  his  time  and  town,  fur 
his  temerity  and  facetiousness.  He  married  a  daughter 
of  Maj.  Jo'in  Keyes  of  Shrewsbury,  who  was  also  no  little 
famous  '  in  his  day  and  generation.'  During  the  French 
war,  somewhere  about  the  year  17G0  or  61,  Mr.  Wilder 
purchased  a  large  number  of  cattle  for  the  purpose  of 
driving  them  to  Canada,  and  disposing  of  them  at  a 
profit  to  the  English  army.  This  intended  speculation, 
however,  was  a  total  failure.  On  his  arrival  at  its  place 
of  destination,  with  his  stock,  the  war  was  so  far  con- 
cluded that  he  found  no  sale  for  it,  or  at  least  none  at 
any  adequate  price.  He  returned,  broken  in  property, 
and  sold  his  farm  to  Benjamin  Houghton,  who  owned 
the  adjoining  land,  and  with  whom  he  had  some  litiga- 
tion as  to  their  respective  boundaries.  Soon  after  this 
he  removed  to  Belchertown,  then  Cold  Spring,  where  he 
died  in  1762.  Miss  Sarah  Wilder,  his  fourth  child,  was 
the  first  white  person  born  in  Princeton.  Her  birth  oc- 
curred in  1739.  In  1762  she  was  married  to  Thomas 
Meriam  of  Westminster,  and  was  the  mother  of  the 
Meriams*  at  present  residing  in  that  place.  She  died 
1819,  at  the  advanced  age  of  80  years.  The  descend- 
ants of  Miss  Wilder  recollect  hearing  their  mother  fre- 
quently  speak  of  gathering  blueberries  in  company  with 
others  on  the  Meetino--house  hill,  with  a  file  of  soldiers 
to  protect  them  from   the  Indians."!     No  other  settle- 

*  Grandmother  of  Mr.  ("lark  Meriam,  who  resides  in  this  town, 
t  Russell's  (Ustory  of  Princeton,  p.  7. 


MR.   KEYES'  DAUGHTER.  17 

ment  was  probably  made,  subsequent  to  that  of  Mr.  Wil- 
der, prior  to  the  year  1750,  when  Mr.  Abijah  Moore 
commenced  to  clear  the  farm  at  present  owned  and  oc- 
cupied by  Maj.  Joseph  A.  Read.  Mr.  Moore  opened 
the  first  public  house  that  was  kept  in  town.  The  third 
settlement  was  made  by  Mr.  Cheever,  on  what  is  at  the 
present  day  called  the  Cobb  farm.  And  in  May,  1751, 
(the  following  year)  Mr.  Robert  Keyes  with  his  family 
removed  from  Shrewsbury  to  this  place,  and  se.tled  on 
the  farm  now  owned  by  Amasa  Smith,  which  is  situated 
at  the  foot  of  the  Wachusett,  east  side. 

On  the  14th  day  of  April,  1755,  a  daughter  of  Mr. 
Keyes,  named  Lucy,  aged  four  years  and  eight  months, 
attempting,  as  was  supposed,  to  follow  two  of  her  sisters, 
who  had  gone  to  Wachusett  Pond,  about  a  mile  distant, 
for  some  sand,  and  having  nothing  but  marked  trees  to 
guide  her,  wandered  out  of  the  way,  and  became  lost  in 
the  forest.  The  people  for  nearly  thirty  miles  round 
immediately  collected,  and  in  companies  traversed  the 
woods,  day  after  day,  and  week  after  week,  searching 
for  her,  but  without  success.  They  also  repeatedly 
drago-ed  the  neighboring  pond.  Nothing  of  the  child 
was  discovered.  Many  journeys  were  taken  by  the  fa- 
ther in  consequence  of  reports,  but  all  in  vain.  The 
conjectures  of  the  people  were  and  have  been  various 
as  to  its  fate  ;  "the  most  prevalent,  and  which  divers  con- 
curring circumstances  render  most  probable,"  was,  that 
it  was  carried  off  by  the  Indians  on  a  visit  to  the  moun- 
tain; and  that  she  soon  forgot  her  native  language  and 
became  as  one  of  the  aborigines.  "  This  was  made 
more  probable,  by  the  story  of  two  men,  who  went  some 
years  after  this  occurrence  from  Groton,  on  a  trading  ex- 
pedition among  the  Indians  on  Canada  line.     They  re- 


IS  FIRST   SETTLEMENT. 

lated,  on  their  return,  that  they  found  living  among  the 
Indian?,  a  white  woman,  who  knew  nothing  further  of 
her  birth  or  parentage  than  that  she  once  lived  near 
'Chusett  hill.1  " 

Mr.  Oliver  Davis  was  the  first  settler  in  the  west  part, 
and  the  fifth  in  the  town.  He  settled  on  what  is  at  the 
present  time  called  "  Clark  hill,"  in  1751.  Mr.  Davis 
was  industrious  and  frugal.  He  did  much  for  the  early 
advancement  of  the  new  settlement,  by  his  example  of 
diligence,  and  the  introduction  of  useful,  especially  me- 
chanical, arts.  He  purchased  a  large  tract  of  land,  part 
of  which  lay  in  Princeton,  and  the  remainder  in  Hub- 
bardston  ;  and  erected  a  saw-mill  on  a  branch  of  the 
Ware  river.  This  was  not  only  the  first  application  of 
water  power  to  mechanical  purposes  in  the  town,  but 
also  the  first  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  He  also,  a  short 
time  subsequent  to  this,  built  a  grist  mill  on  the  above- 
mentioned  river,  some  half  a  mile  below  where  the 
('  Slab-city"  mill  now  stands.*  At  a  subsequent  period 
this  was  consumed  by  fire,  and  both  a  saw  and  grist 
mill  were  afterwards  built  by  him  on  or  near  the  same 
site.  Some  of  the  first  mills  in  Hubbardston  were  also 
built  by  him.  Three  of  Mr.  Davis's  sons  enlisted  in  the 
army,  at  the  commencement  of  the  Revolutionary  con- 
test, and  one  fell  on  the  field  of  battle.  Mr.  Davis  died 
on  the  25th  of  January,  lcS93. 

From  the  consultation  of  ancient  records,  or  inquir- 
ies among  the  most  aged  inhabitants,  we  have  not  been 
able  to  decide  upon  the  precise  years  when  settlements 
were  made  in  different  parts  of  the  town.  During  1752, 
and  the  four  or  five  following  years,  several  settlements 
were  commenced  in  various  parts  of  the  town.     Among 

'   At  present  owned  by  Win.  D.  Clieevcr,  Esq. 


FIRST  SETTLEMENT.  19 

the  settlers  of  about  this  period,  were  a  Mr.  Peter  Good- 
now,  on  the  site  where  the  dwellincr-house  of  Charles 
Russell,  Esq.  now  stands  ;  a  Mr.  Norcross  commenced 
the  farm  at  present  owned  and  occupied  by  Mr.  Israel 
Everett ;  Caleb  Mirick,  on  the  farms  occupied  by  Messrs. 
Elisha  and  Charles  A.  Mirick  ;  Samuel  Nichols  on  Mr. 
Enoch  Brook's  farm  ;  Mr.  Mede,  on  the  farm  at  pres- 
ent occupied  by  Ephraim  Osgood  ;  Joseph  Eveleth,  en 
the  farm  of  the  late  Capt.  Benjamin  Harrington ;  Sam- 
uel Hastings,  on  the  farm  of  Mr.  George  Davis  ;  James 
Mirick,  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Mr.  Geo.  O.  Skin- 
ner ;  Messrs.  Thomas  Gleason  and  Gibbs,  on  the  site 
where  the  Wachusett  Hotel  now  stands.  A  Mr.  Stratton 
also  commenced  a  farm  where  the  "  Union''  meeting- 
house  now  stands.  There  were  also,  about  this  time, 
several  settlements  made  in  the  west  part  of  the  town. 
Among  this  number,  subsequent  to  the  settlement  of 
Mr.  Davis,  were  Joseph  Rugg,  Charles  Parmenter,  Sadev 
Mason,  Seth  Savage,  Timothy  Keyes,  David  Parker, 
Robert  Cowdin,  Mr.  Rosier, — Thomas  Mason  on  the 
farm  now  owned  by  Joseph  Mason, — Mr.  Wheeler,  and 
subsequently  Col.  Benjamin  Holden  from  Dedham,  on 
the  farm  now  owned  by  Benjamin  Holden,  the  grandson 
of  the  latter, — and  Isaac  Thompson,  on  the  farm  of 
Isaac  Thompson. 

The  first  settlers  in  the  town  labored  under  very  great 
difficulties  for  a  time,  by  reason  of  a  rough,  mountain- 
ous and  rocky  soil  and  the  naturally  moist  state  of  the 
land,  for  want  of  passable  roads,  and  from  the  prodigi- 
ous quantities  of  heavy  timber  with  which  the  ground 
was  covered.  The  inhabitants  were  for  some  years  de- 
pendent on  the  neighboring  towns  for  most  of  their, 
supplies.     They   were   industrious,  however,  and  in  a, 


20  ACT  OF  INCORPORATION. 

few  years  brought  the  soil  into  successful  cultivation, 
when  grass,  especially,  was  produced  in  great  abun- 
dance—the soil  being  rich  and  fertile. 

The  toils  and  dangers  of  original  settlement  being 
past,  the  increasing  population  and  expanding  resources 
required  municipal  powers  for  the  management  of  the 
common  interests  of  the  inhabitants.  In  1759,  the  free- 
holders and  proprietors  presented  a  Petition  to  the  Leg- 
islature for  Incorporation,  whereupon  the  following  Act 
was  passed  by  the  General  Court : — 

"  Anno  Regni  Regis  Georgii  Secundi 

Tricesimo  L.  S.  Tercio. 

"An  Act  for  erecting  the  East  Wing  of  Rutland,  so 
called,  in  the  County  of  Worcester,  and  sundry  farms  con- 
tiguous thereto,  lying  between  Lancaster  and  Narraganset 
number  two,  into  a  separate  District  by  the  name  of  Prince- 
Town. 

"  Whereas  a  number  of  the  Inhabitants  and  Proprie- 
tors of  the  East  Wing  of  Rutland,  in  the  County  of 
Worcester,  and  the  proprietors  and  inhabitants  of  sun- 
dry Farms  contiguous  thereto,  lying  between  Lancaster 
and  Narraganset  No.  2,  have  represented  to  this  Court 
many  difficulties  they  labour  under,  and  praying  that  they 
may  be  made  a  separate  District. 

"Therefore,  be  it  enacted  by  the  Governor,  Council, 
and  House  of  Representatives,  That  the  said  East  Wing 
of  Rutland,  so  called,  and  sundry  Farms  lying  contigu- 
ous thereto,  contained  within  the  bounds  hereafter  men- 
tioned, be  and  hereby  is  erected  into  a  distinct  and 
separate  District  by  the  name  of  Prince  Town  : — viz. 
beginning  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Lancaster  second 
Precinct,  being  also  the  southwest  corner  of  Leominster, 


ACT  OF  INCORPORATION.  21 

from  thence  running  north  54  degrees  west  seven  hun- 
dred  and  sixty  rods  to  a  heap  of  stones  upon  the  line 
of  Narraganset  No.  2,  from  thence  running  west  thirty- 
five  degrees  south  seven  hundred  and  eighty-eight  Rods 
to  the  southern  corner  of  said  Narraganset  number  two, 
then  turning  and  running  southeast  fifty-six  Rod  to  the 
northeast  corner  of  said  Rutland  East  Wing,  then  turn- 
ing and  running  west  thirty  Degrees  south  eleven  hun- 
dred  and  sixty   Rod,    on   the    northwest    line    of  said 
Wing  to  the  westerly  corner  of  said  Wing,  then  running 
south    thirty-nine    degrees    east   sixteen    hundred    and 
seventy  Rod,  being  the  dividing  line  of  the  first  settlers 
part  of  Rutland,  and  the    said    Wing   to  the   southerly 
corner  of  said   East  Wing,  then  turning   and  running 
east  thirty-five  degrees  north   eleven  hundred   and  fifty 
rods  on   Holdin  line  to  the  corner  of  said  East  Win";, 
Holdin   and  Shrewsbury,  and  from  thence  running  on 
the    same   point    three    hundred    and    ninety    Rod    on 
Shrewsbury  line  to  the   River,  and  from  thence  bound- 
ing on  Lancaster  second  Precinct  to  the  first  mentioned 
bounds,  and  that   the  said  District  be  and  hereby  is  in- 
vested with  all  the  Privileges,  Powers,  and  Immunities 
that   Towns   in  the   Province  by  Law  do  or  may  enjoy, 
that  of  sending  a  Representative  to  the  General  Assem- 
bly only  excepted. 

"  Provided,  nevertheless,  and  be  it  further  enacted, 
That  the  said  District  shall  pay  their  proportion  of  all 
Town,  County  and  Province  taxes  already  sett  or  grant- 
ed to  be  raised  on  the  Towns  of  Rutland  and  Lancaster 
as  if  this  act  had  not  been  made. 

"And  be  it  further  enacted  y  That  William  Richard- 
son, Esq.  be  and   hereby   is   empowered    to    issue    his 
warrant  to  some   principal   Inhabitant  of  said   District 
3 


22  FIRST  TOWN  MEETING. 

requiring  him  to  notify  and  warn  the  inhabitants  of  said 
District  qualified  by  Law  to  vote  in  Town  affairs  to 
meet  at  such  time  and  place  as  shall  be  therein  set  forth 
to  choose  all  such  officers  as  shall  be  necessary  to  man- 
age the  affairs  of  said  District. 

«  October  12th,  1759.     This  Bill  having  been  read 
three  several  times  in  the  House  of  Representatives — 
Passed  to  be  enacted. 

S.  White,  Spk. 

"  October  16th,  1759.     This  Bill  having  been  read 
three  several  times  in  Council — 

Passed  to  be  enacted. 

A.  Oliver,  Sec'y. 
"  October  20th,  1759.     By  the  Governor. 

I  consent  to  the  enacting  of  this  Bill. 

T.  Pomnall" 

This  district  thus  incorporated,  and  which  comprised 
nearly  15,000  acres,  constituting  the  main  part  of 
Princeton,  was  called  Prince  Town,  to  perpetuate  the 
name  and  memory  of  Rev.  Thomas  Prince,  then  col- 
league pastor  of  the  Old  South  Church,  Boston,  and  a 
large  proprietor  of  this  tract  of  land,  as  before  mention- 
ed, and  whose  only  surviving  daughter  and  child  the 
Hon.  Judge  Gill  subsequently  married  for  his  first  wife. 
At  the  time  of  the  incorporation  there  were  about  thirty 
families  in  the  place.  The  first  physician,  by  the  name 
of  Dr.  Zackariah  Harvey,  settled  about  this  time,  on  the 
farm  now  owned  and  occupied  by  Deacon  Ebenezer 
Parker. 

In  accordance  with  the  last  clause  of  the  act  of  in- 
corporation, a  warrant  was  issued  by  William  Richard- 
son, of  Lancaster,  directed  to  Dr.  Zachariah  Harvey  ; 
and  on  the  24th  day  of  December,  1759,  the  inhabitants 
convened  at  the  house  of  Abijah  Moore,  their  first  dis» 


FIRST  ROADS.  23 

trict  meeting.  Municipal  officers  were  chosen,  and 
from  that  day  Princeton  assumed  her  place  among  the 
regularly  organized  Districts  of  the  Commonwealth. — 
Several  pages  are  missing  from  the  first  volume  of  the 
Town  records,  consequently  the  proceedings  of  the 
above  mentioned  meeting  are  lost.  The  officers  elected 
at  this  meeting  were  only  chosen  to  serve  until  the 
March  following,  when,  as  at  the  present  time,  the  reg- 
ular meeting  for  an  election  was  held.  Hence,  the  first 
"  March  meeting"  was  convened  in  1760.  The  first, 
however,  of  which  the  proceedings  are  found  on  record, 
was  held  in  March,  1761.*  It  is  very  evident  from  the 
following  protest  which  is  transcribed  from  the  records, 
that  there  was  some  difficulty  at  this  meeting : — 

"  We  the  subscribers,  Inhabitants  and  freeholders  of 

Prince  Town  District,  judging  the   annual  meeting  in 

Prince  Town  District  on  the  16th,  of  March,   1761,  to 

be  illegal,  by  reason  of  the  meeting  not  being  purged 

from  such  persons  or  voters  as  are  unqualified  by  law 

for  voting,  we    do  therefore   hereby  enter    our   dissent 

against  said  meeting,  it.  appearing  unlawful.      Signed, 

James  Thompson ,  Oliver  Davis, 

Isaac  Wheeler,  Capt.  Eliphelet  Howe, 

Ephm.  Allen,  Sadey  Mason, 

Wm.  Muzzy,  Gideon  Fisher. 

Princetown  District,  Mar.  ye  16th,  1761." 

Previous  to  the  last  date,  the  inhabitants  having  peti- 
tioned to  the  General  Court,  praying  said  Court  to  grant 
them  a  land  tax,  to  enable  them  to  build  roads,  and  also 
to  erect  a  house  for  Public  worship,  and  having  had 
their  petition  granted,  and  received  the  amount  of<£337, 

*See  a  list  of  officers  chosen  at  said  meeting,  transcribed  from  the  records, 
in  the  appendix. 


24  CHARACTER  OF  SETTLERS. 

public  roads  were  laid  out  by  the  Selectmen  in  1762, 
according  to  the  instructions  of  the  district.  Of  these, 
the  first  completed  was  "  a  road  from  Westminster  line 
thro'  Allen's  farm,  thence  on  the  line  between  the  Winer 
and  Farms  so  called;  thence  thro'  the  land  of  Mr.  Mo- 
ses Gill  and  Caleb  Mirick,  to  the  meeting-house  ;  thence 
thro'  lots  Letter  B,  No.  9  and  12,  Letter  H  G.  No.  22, 
to  Holden  line."  The  first  settlers  must  have  had  ro- 
mantic notions;  for  it  appears  that  they  were  in  the 
habit  of  constructing  their  roads  over  the  highest  hills. 
The  manner  of  locating  their  roads  also  was  somewhat 
peculiar.*  And  what  is  still  more  remarkable,  they 
f<  endeavored  to  locate  their  meeting-house  as  near 
heaven  as  possible'' — placing  it  on  the  summit  of  the 
highest  point  of  land,  except  that  of  the  old  Wachusett. 
After  repeated  requests  preferred  to  the  district  by  sev- 
eral of  the  inhabitants,  it  was  granted  to  them  in  1768, 
to  pay  their  highway  taxes,  by  work  on  the  new  roads 
most  needed,  and  the  price  was  fixed  for  the  labor  of 
man  and  beast.  A  short  time  subsequent  to  this  period, 
many  of  the  other  roads  at  present  existing  in  the  town 
were  built.  Great  sums  have  been  appropriated  for 
roads  from  time  to  time. 

*  See  in  the  appendix. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Character  of  the  First  Settlers— Their  Ancestry— Increase  of  Population- 
Province  Lands — Land  granted  by  the  General  Court  to  the  First  settled 
Minister— Petition  to  be  Incorporated  as  a  Town— Act  of  Incorporation- 
Opposition  of  the  Town  to  the  addition  of  Territory— First  Representa- 
tive — Boundary. 

In  tracing  the  history  of  Princeton,  we  are  approach- 
ing the  close  of  that  generation  of  men,   who  may  be 


CHARACTER  OP  SETTLERS.  25 

called,  the  the  first  settlers  of  the  town.  Our  minds, 
however,  linger  around  this  period  with  the  most  in- 
tense interest.  The  men  of  that  day  had  difficulties, 
perplexities  and  trials,  to  endure  and  overcome,  such  as 
are  in  a  measure  experienced  in  the  settlement  of  all 
new  colonies ;  yet  not  in  the  eminent  degree,  perhaps, 
that  they  were  by  the  first  settlers  of  these  regions. — 
The  adventurer  who  at  the  present  day  penetrates  the 
distant  west,  or  the  regions  of  California,  may  carry 
with  him  some  of  the  comforts  of  civilized  life,  but  this 
■could  not  be  obtained  at  the  period  of  the  settlement  of 
Princeton ;  for  but  a  few  of  the  luxuries  of  existence 
were  known  in  the  country. 

On  the  other  hand,  these  early  settlers  were  persons 
of  decision,  boldness,  enterprise  and  independence. — 
They  left  their  native  town  or  country,  and  bid  adieu  to 
friends,  acquaintance,  a  father's  house,  a  pleasant  home, 
to  take  up  their  abode  in  a  howling  wilderness,  exposed 
-day  and  night,  whether  in  the  hut  or  field,  to  the  lurk- 
ing and  ravenous  bear  and  wolf, — to  cultivate  a  dreary 
waste,  and  this,  too,  under  a  thousand  difficulties.  Yet 
to  clear  the  forest,  erect  houses.,  construct  roads,  build 
bridges,  maintain  schools,  and  support  the  gospel  minis- 
try, were  enterprises  most  cheerfully  undertaken. — 
Merely  to  live  was  not  the  whoAe  q£  life  with  them,  it 
was  the  height  of  their  ambition  to  live  as  honest  men, 
good  neighbors,  honorable  citizens,  and  accountable  to 
their  Creator.  They  were  not  inferior  to  that  genera- 
tion of  men  whose  settlement  in  New  England  consti- 
tutes  so  important  an  epoch  in  history,  and  whose  fame 
knows  no  limits  other  than  the  whole  civilized  world. — 
They  were  men  possessing  the  sentiments  of  the  Pil- 
grims;  men  who  understood  and  highly  valued  both  re- 
3* 


26  INCREASE  OF  POPULATION. 

ligious  and  civil  freedom  ;  who  cheerfully  suffered  for 
its  enjoyments  ;  who  were  determined  on  its  maintain- 
ance  and  promotion ;  and  who  zealously  labored  to  pre- 
pare their  children  for  its  support  and  perpetuation. — 
They  understood,  appreciated  and  loved  the  truth. — 
They  prayed  and  labored  for  its  diffusion.  They  cul- 
tivated and  exhibited  the  evangelical  spirit  and  faith  of 
the  gospel.  Such  were  the  men  who  settled  here,  and 
such  their  character,  The  charge  of  excessive  vanity 
has  not  unfrequently  been  cast  upon  the  people  of  New 
England,  for  speaking  in  terms  which  betray  warm  ad- 
miration for  the  character  of  their  ancestors.  And  yet, 
those  who  would  reproach  us  as  being  judges,  there  is 
truth,  confessedly,  in  an  artfully  expressed  sentiment  of 
a  writer  of  antiquity.  "  The  Lord  sifted  the  kingdoms 
of  Europe  to  obtain  good  seed  wherewith  to  plant  the 
sterile  fields  of  Ne.v  England.'' 

A  large  proportion  of  the  families  first  settling  in 
Princeton,  could  trace  their  ancestry  back  to  the  earlier 
settlers  of  New  England.  Many  came  from  Lancaster, 
some  from  Concord,  some  from  Weston,  some  from 
Sudbury,  and  others  from  Dedham,  Lexington,  Water- 
town,  Medfield  and  various  other  towns  in  different 
parts  of  the  Province. 

Some  twelve  years  subsequent  to  its  incorporation  as 
a  District,  Princeton  had  increased  in  numbers  and 
wealth  to  a  considerable  extent.  In  1759  there  were, 
probably,  not  more  than  twenty-five  or  thirty  legal 
voters,  while  in  1771  the  number  had  augmented  to 
nearly  one  hundred  ;  and  when  the  census  was  taken  in 
1791,  a  still  )ater  period,  there  were  one  hundred  and 
forty-four  dwelling-houses  and  1,010  inhabitants  in  the 
place.     In  addition  to  the  two  tracts  of  land  which  were 


TOWN   INCORPORATION.  27 

incorporated  into  the  District  in  1759,  there  were  con- 
tiguous thereto  some  thousands  of  acres  of  Province 
land,  which  had  never  been  incorporated  into  any  dis- 
trict;— with  the  exception  of  five  hundred  acres,  mainly 
lands  on  the  Wachusett  mountain,  and  which  at  a  subse- 
quent period  were  granted  by  the  General  Court  to  the 
Rev.  Timothy  Fuller,  in  consideration  that  he  was  the 
first  minister  and  settled  upon  a  small  salary  in  the  in- 
fancy of  the  town.*  In  1765,  the  District  chose 
Samuel  Woods,  Joseph  Eveleth  and  Boaz  Moore,  a 
committee,  and  instructed  them  "  to  send,"  in  behalf  of 
said  district,  "  a  petition!  to  the  Great  and  General 
Court  for  the  province  land  in  this  district."  IC  Of  the 
adjoining  Province  lands,  one  thousand  acres  known  as 
the  '  Potash  farm,'  were  granted  to  one  Plastid,  in  case 
he  should  teach  the  people  the  manufacture  of  potash. 
Buildings  were  erected  and  the  manufacture  commenced. 
For  some  reason,  however,  Plastid  failed  to  obtain  the 
land,  and  it  was  subsequently  granted  to  Gen.  Ruggles, 
for  some  military  service  in  the  French  war.  The  re- 
mainder of  the  Province  land  was  probably  settled  by 
adventurers  or  taken  up  by  speculators." 

In  1770,  it  was  voted  by  the  District  to  petition  the 
General  Court  to  be  incorporated  into  a  town  ;  and 
accordingly,  the  Selectmen  were  appointed  a  commit- 
tee for  this  purpose.  During  this  year,  or  early  the 
succeeding  one,  they  forwarded  to  the  General  Court 
the  Petition  which  follows,  and  which  eventuated  in  the 
sought  for  Act  of  Incorporation,  a  copy  of  which  Act 
we  also  subjoin. 

*  See  Appendix,  for  a  copy  of  the  Petition  and  Resolve  upon  which  said 
land  was  given  to  Mr.  Fuller. 

|  No  copy  of  this  Petition,  or  of  the  one  for  incorporation  in  1759,  or  of 
that  of  the  town  in  1772,  is  to  be  found. 


28  PETITION  FOR  INCORPORATION. 


<( 


Province  of  Massachusetts  Bay. 


liTo  His  Excellency  Thomas  Hutchinson,  Esq.,  Gov- 
ernor and  Commander-in-Chief  in  and  over  said  Province, 
The  Honorable  His  Majesty's  Council  and  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives in  General  Court  assembled  at  Cambridge. 

"  The  Petition  of  Princetown,  in  the  County  of  Wor- 
cester, humbly  shews,  That  said  place  composed  of 
Province  Land  and  other  Lands,  and  Farms  which  never 
before  belonged  to  any  Town  or  District  to  the  Amount 
of  near  eight  thousand  acres,  together  with  a  part  of  the 
original  grant  of  twelve  miles  square  to  the  Proprietors 
of  Rutland,  which  part  was  never  incorporated  into  the 
Town  of  Rutland  or  any  other  Town,  as  many  of  this 
Honorable  Court  are  well  knowing,was  in  the  year  1760 
— 1759 — erected  into  a  District  by  the  name  of  Prince- 
town,  and  was  not  annexed  to  any  Town  to  join  with 
them  in  the  choice  of  Representative,  and  never  can 
join  with  any,  without  being  subject  to  greater  difficul- 
ties than  any  District  lately  made  by  reason  of  the  dis- 
tance, and  badness  of  the  Roads. 

"  Your  petitioners  therefore  humbly  pray  (seeing  said 
District  was  composed  of  lands,  which  never  before  be- 
longed to  any  town  or  District)  you  would  out  of  your 
wonted  goodness  erect  said  place  into  a  Town,  with  all 
the  powers  and  privileges  which  are  enjoyed  by  other 
Towns  in  this  Province. 

**And  as  in  duty  bound  will  ever  pray. 

Ebcnezer  Jones,  ~\ 

Joseph  Sargent,  t  Committcc„ 

iioaz  Moore,         ( 

Caleb  Mirick,     J 


ACT  OF  INCORPORATION.  29 


"  Anno  Regni  Regis  Georgii 

Testii  L.  S.  Undecimo. 

c<An  Act  to  erect  the  District  of  Prince  Town   into  a 
Town  by  the  name  of  Princeton. 

"  Whereas  the  Inhabitants  of  the  District  of  Prince 
Town  have  Petitioned  this  Court  to  be  Incorporated 
into  a  Town  that  they  may  enjoy  the  privileges  of  other 
Towns  in  this  Province, 

"  Be  it  therefore  enacted  by  the  Governor  Council,  and 
House  of  Representatives ,  That  the  District  of  Prince 
Town  in  the  County  of  Worcester,  with  all  the  lands 
adjoining  to  said  District  not  included  in  any  other 
Town  or  District,  be  and  hereby  is  incorporated  into  a 
Town  by  the  name  of  Princeton,  and  that  the  Inhabi- 
tants thereof  be  and  hereby  are  invested  with  all  the 
powers,  privileges  and  immunities  which  the  Inhabitants 
of  the  several  Towns  within  this  Province  do  enjoy. 

"April  17th,  1771.  This  bill  having  been  read  three 
several  times  in  the  House  of  Representatives — 

Passed  to  be  enacted. 

Thomas  Gushing,  Speaker. 

"April  19//*,  1771.  This  Bill  having  been  read 
three  several  times  in  Council — 

Passed  to  be  enacted. 

Thomas  Flucker,  Stc'y. 

"April  2-ith,  1771.     By  the   Governor. 

I  consent  to  the  enactment  of  this  Bill. 

T.   Hutchinson:' 

The  inhabitants  of  Princeton,  as  appears  from  the 
town  records,  were  strongly  opposed  to  the  addition  of 
territory  to  the  original  district,  which  was  made  by  the 
above  act  of  the  Ganeral  Court.     Hence  they  passed,  in 


30  ADDITION  OF  TERRITORY. 

Oct.  1771,  the'  following  vote  : — "  That  it  is  the  opinion 
of  the  town,  that  it  is  a  hardship  both  to  this  town  and 
the  farms  lately  laid  to  it,  that  they  should  be  annexed, 
inasmuch  as  they  are  in  no  way  accommodated  to  it, 
and  that  it  is  impracticable  that  they  should  receive 
privileges  that  they  be  not  rated."  In  May  following,  it 
was  voted,  "  That  a  petition  be  prepared  to"  be  pre- 
sented to  the  General  Court  then  "  setting  in  Cambridge, 
praying  that  the  land  lately  annexed  to  this  town  may 
be  taken  off;"  and  the  town  also  chose  a  committee 
consisting  of  Joseph  Eveleth,  William  Thompson  and 
Joseph  Sargent,  for  this  purpose.  This  petition,  as  be- 
fore stated  in  a  note,  has  been  lost  by  some  means. — 
The  land  alluded  to,  is  probably  that  which  at  the  present 
time  constitutes  the  northern  part  of  the  town,  known 
by  the  name  of  "  Notown,"  which  was  undoubtedly  an- 
nexed at  that  time, — inasmuch  as  the  above  act  of  the 
General  Court  embraced  '*  all  the  lands  adjoining  said 
District"  not  previously  incorporated  in  any  district  or 
town  ;  but  which  was  also,  it  would  seem,  on  the  prayer 
of  this  petition  "  taken  off."  It  was  finally  annexed 
again  by  an  act  of  the  Legislature  in  1838.  The  great 
objection  to  the  annexation  of  the  "  farms"  was,  that 
roads  were  to  be  built  through  them,  at  the  expense  of 
the  town  ;  which  would  in  their  view  be  "  an  unrepara- 
ble  and  unsupportable  burden  to  the  inhabitants." 

The  town  after  the  passage  of  the  above  act  of  incor- 
poration had  the  right  of  a  representation,  but  as  this 
must  have  been  at  their  own  expense,  it  was  voted  in 
1772  and  1773  not  to  send  a  representative,  on  account 
of  the  "  extraordinary  cost11  and  also  the  "  great  ex- 
pense of  making  roads."  The  first  representative  of 
the  town  was  Moses  Gill,  who  was  chosen  in  1774  to 


BOUNDARY.  31 

represent  it  in  the  General  Court  to  be  held  in  Salem, 
Oct.  5.  It  was  the  custom  of  the  town,  at  that  early 
date,  to  give  ivritten  instructions  to  their  representa- 
tives.* The  manner  of  calling  the  early  town  meetings, 
was  to  divide  the  town  into  "  ranges,"  usually  two,  and 
a  constable  was  appointed  for  each  "  range,"  whose 
duty  it  was  to  give  personal  notice  to  each  inhabitant. 

The  territory  of  Princeton  at  the  present  time  consists 
of  "Rutland  East  Wing,"  containing  about  11,626 
acres  ;  of  the  "  VVatertown  Farms,''  about  3,000  acres  ; 
of  Province  lands,  incorporated  in  1759,  nearly  2000 
acres;  and  of  lands  annexed,  in  1771,  about  2500 
acres;  and  about  500  acres  set  off  from  Hubbardston, 
on  petition  of  the  owners  in  1810  ;  and  about  500  acres 
from  "  No  Town"  in  1838.  The  town  is  situated  some 
fifty  miles  from  Boston,  about  due  west ;  and  fourteen 
miles  from  Worcester,  nearly  north; — and  is  bounded 
on  the  north  by  Westminster,  on  the  east  by  Sterling, 
on  the  south  by  Holden  and  Rutland,  and  on  the  west  by 
Hubbardston. 

*  For  the  instructions  given  to  Mr.  Gill  in  1774  see  succeeding  chapter. 


CHAPTER  III. 

American  Revolution — First  expression  of  the  town  in  relation  to  revolutiona- 
ry measures — Resolutious — Committee  of  correspondence— Alarm — Prep- 
arations for  war — Instructions  to  representative — Declaration  of  rights — 
Bounty  to  the  minute  men — The  citizens  leave  their  homes  for  the  contest ; 
Trouble  with  Rev.  Mr.  Fuller — Declaration  of  Independence — Regulation 
of  the  currency — War  terminated. 

We  have  now  reached  an  epoch  of  the  deepest  interest 
in  our  history.     "  The  middle  of  the  century  had  scarcely 


32  AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

past,  before  the  shadows  of  oppression  began  to  darken 
the  land,  and  the  first  tremulous  motions  of  the  revolu- 
tion, which  finally  upheaved  the  colonial  government, 
were  felt.  The  collision  of  popular  privilege  with  royal 
prerogative,  maintained  during  successive  years  by  the 
representatives,  had  prepared  the  people  for  the  investi- 
gation of  the  principles  on  which  their  connection  with 
the  mother  country  rested,  and  waked  their  vigilance 
for  the  protection  of  chartered  and  inherited  rights." — 
The  long  series  of  wars*  which  they  had  previously  en- 
dured, were  doubtless  useful  schools,  diffusing  military 
spirit,  and  imparting  knowledge  of  strength  and  skill, 
and  confidence  for  repelling  encroachments. 

When  the  appeal  to  arms  approached,  however,  some 
of  the  colonists  were  filled  with  fear.  And  this  is  not 
to  be  wondered  at,  since  the  match  was  most  unequal. 
There  was  on  the  one  side,  no  organized  regiment,  no 
fortified  town,  no  ship  of  war,  no  money,  no  arms  nor 
military  stores;  while  on  the  other  there  was  a  well  dis- 
ciplined army,  with  eminent  officers,  an  extensive  and 
powerful  navy,  an  abundance  of  money,  arms  and 
stores,  sustained  by  a  reputation  for  military  bravery 
that  made  their  name  a  terror  to  all  Europe.  Besides, 
they  had  been  educated  with  sentiments  of  veneration 
for  the  Crown 'of  England,  to  which  they  had  sworn 
fidelity,  being  indebted  to  its  bounty  for  the  honors  and 
ivealth  they  possessed.  Some  among  them  viewed  the 
opposition  to  the  measures  of  government  premature,  in 
its  advance  to  extremities.  The  times,  however,  did 
not  admit  of  a  middle  course.  For  the  crisis  had  al- 
ready arrived. 

And  it  was  found  that  the  American  colonists,  gener*- 

*  Indian  and  French  Wars. 


REVOLUTIONARY    MEASURES.  33 

ally  weze  so  inflexible  in  their  adherence,  on  all  occa- 
sions, to  truth ; — so  elevated,  expansive,  and  practical 
were  their  views ;  so  keen  were  their  sensibilities  to 
what  was  wrong  and  injurious ;  so  steadfast  their  deter- 
mination to  secure  what  was  just ;  so  vigilant  their 
guardianship  of  their  inalienable  rights  ;  and  so  ardently 
were  they  attached  to  the  principles  of  liberty  ; — that, 
with  comparatively  few  exceptions,  there  existed  but  one 
feeling,  sentiment  and  aim,  and  that  was  to  secure  their 
just  rights ;  and  if  this  could  be  effected  in  no  other 
way,  to  do  it  by  the  Declaration  of  Independence. — 
However  the  colonists  were  divided  in  other  things, 
they  were  united  in  this.  However  different  in  their 
departments  of  effort,  all  converged  to  this  one  great 
point. 

The  earliest  expression  of  opinion,  on  the  records  of 
the  town  of  Princeton  in  relation  to  revolutionary 
measures,  was  entered  on  the  7th  of  March,  1768,  when 
the  people,  at  their  annual  town  meeting,  manifested 
their  indignation  at  the  promulgation  of  the  act  of  Par- 
liament imposing  duties  on  paper,  glass,  painters'  colors 
and  tea,  imported  into  the  colonies.  They  did  this  by 
concurring  with  certain  resolutions*  to  encourage  do- 
mestic  manufactures  and  refrain  from  purchasing  the 
taxed  articles,  which  were  passed  by  the  inhabitants  of 
Boston,  at  a  meeting  held  October,  1767. 

From  this  period  to  1773  no  doings  of  the  inhabitants, 
in  their  corporate  capacity,  mark  the  progress  of  the 
spirit  of  independence.     A    letter  of  correspondence! 

*  Tlie  Legislature  adopted  resolves  of  similar  import,  Feb.  26. 
f  The  letter  of  correspondence   to   the  town,   closes  with   these  words  : — 
"  Let  us  consider,  brethren,  we  are  struggling  for  our  best  birth  right  and  in- 
heritance, which  being  infringed  renders  all  our  blessings  precarious  in  their 
enjoyment,  and  consequently   trifling  in   their  value.     Let  us  disappoint  tha 


34  RESOLUTIONS. 

received  from  Boston,  called  the  attention  of  the  town, 
at  a  meeting  held  in  January,  1773,  to  the  grievances 
under  which  the  province  labored.  A  committee  was 
appointed  to  consider  the  contents  of  said  letter,  who 
presented  the  following  resolutions  at  the  adjournment, 
January  25,  which  exhibits  the  spirit  that  animated  the 
bosoms  of  our  fathers  in  those  days  which  "  tried  men's 
souls."     They  were  unanimously  passed  by  the  town  : — 

"  Resolved,  1st,  That  the  connection  between  the  mo- 
ther country  and  these  colonies  is  of  great  consequence 
to  both,  if  mutually  kept  up  ;  but  when  digressions  are 
made  from  established  compacts,  that  connection  begins 
to  lessen,  and  of  course,  creates  an  alienation,  the  ef- 
fects of  which  must  be  attended  with  bad  consequences. 
For  the  resolute  man,  in  a  just  cause,  while  in  a  state 
of  freedom,  never  will  consent  to  any  abridgements  or 
deprivations  of  his  just  rights,  and  disdains  threats  or 
any  measures  of  compulsion  to  submission  thereto — not 
like  the  dog,  the  more  he  is  beaten  the  more  he  fawns  ; 
but  on  the  contrary,  with  a  noble  mind,  defends  to  the 
last,  and  every  stripe  stimulates  his  efforts  and  endeav- 
ors, in  defence  of  his  own  country's  cause. 

"2. — That  this  town,  as  a  part  of  their  province, 
whensoever  their  rights,  liberties,  and  properties,  are  in- 
fringed upon,  by  what  authority  soever,  that  they,  in 
honor  to  their  forefathers,  by  whose  solicitude  and  indus- 
try, under  God,  they  for  many  years  have  enjoyed  the 
fruits  of  their  labors — for  the  regard  they  bear  to  pos- 
terity— as  friends  to   their  country,  have  good  right  to 

men,  who  are  raising  themselves  on  the  ruin  ot  this  country.  Let  us  convince 
every  invader  of  our  freedom  that  we  will  be  as  tree  as  the  Constitution  our 
fathers  recognized  will  justify." 


RESOLUTIONS.  35 

complain,  and  manifest   their  uneasiness   at  such  pro- 
ceedings. 

"  3. — That  the  repeated  attempts  to  make  the  people 
of  this  province  subject  to  unjust  taxation,  and  absolute 
dependency  upon  the  crown,  together,  appear  subversive 
of,  and  inconsistent  with,  the  constitution  of  a  free 
people. 

"4. — That  such  measures  are  unconstitutional,  and 
demand  the  attention  of  all  well  disposed  people,  and  a 
mutual  connection  and  joint  adherence  in  proper  means 
for  redress,  that  thereby  the  rights  and  liberties,  civil 
and  religious,  which  have  been  transmitted  to  us  from 
our  illustrious  ancestors,  might  be  kept  inviolate  by  us 
their  posterity. 

"  5 — That  they  shall  be  always  ready  to  concur  in  all 
just  and  proper  means  that  this  province  and  the  neigh- 
boring colonies  may  come  into  for  the  common  good, 
and  in  conjunction  with  the  friends  of  liberty,  shall  bear 
testimony  to  all  invasions  upon  our  rights  and  liberties. 

"  6. — That  the  report  (these  resolutions)  be  put  on  the 
town  record,  that  posterity  may  know  they  had  a  sense 
of  their  invaluable  rights  and  liberties,  and  were  not 
willing  to  part  with  them,  but  by  their  own  consent,  and 
that  they  are  determined  to  vindicate  and  support  them  as 
time  mid  occasions  may  call* 

Ephraim   Woolson, "] 

Boaz  Moore,  \     Committce » 

Xjbenezer  Jones, 

Charles  Brooks.       j 

At  the  annual  town  meeting  in  March,  1774,  it  was 
voted  "to  choose  a  committee  of  correspondence  to  com- 

*  A  copy  of  the  above  resolutions-  weue  transmitted  to  the  inhabitants  afi 
Boston,  by  the  Clerk. 


•36  COMMITTEE    OF    CORRESPONDENCE. 

municate  with  committees  of  correspondence  in  other 
towns  in  this  province,  to  give  the  earliest  intelligence  to 
the  inhabitants  of  this  town,  of  any  designs  that  they 
shall  discover,  at  any  subsequent  period,  against  our 
natural  and  constitutional  rights."  Accordingly,  Capt. 
Benjamin  Holden,  Joseph  Everleth,  Samuel  Woods,  Wil- 
liam Thompson,  John  Jones,  Adonijah  Howe,  and  Sadey 
Mason,  were  elected  a  committee  of  correspondence, — 
four  of  whom    were   to    constitute  a  quorum. 

The  records  of  the  town  of  Princeton  exhibit  the 
brightest  evidence  of  the  devotion  of  its  inhabitants  to 
their  country's  inalienable  rights.  They  were  not  only 
ready  to  pass  resolves  which  breathed  the  spirit  of  pa- 
triotism ;  but  they  were  also  ready  to  seal  their  devo- 
tion to  their  country's  cause,  by  death  on  the  battle- 
field, if  need  be.  Hence,  when  the  alarm*  reached  the 
place,  that  a  band  of  the  King's  troops  had  made  an  ex- 
cursion by  night,  up  the  Mystic  river,  and  carried  off  a 
quantity  of  gunpowder  deposited  in  the  arsenal  in  the 
northwest  part  of  Charlestown,  the  effect  was  electric. 
And  tradition  says  that  a  part  of  the  night  was  spent  by 
Jsome  in  changing  pewter  platters  into  musket  bullets, 
and  in  preparation  for  immediate  engagement.  As  soon 
as  these  arrangements  could  be  completed,  several  of 
the  inhabitants  marched,  and  were  on  their  way,  when 
the  return  of  messengers  from  Boston  assured  them 
their  further  advance  was  unnecessary. 

It  has  been  supposed  by  some  that  the  occasion  had 
been  seized  to  try  the  spirit  of  the  inhabitants  at  large, 
that  they  might  thereby  ascertain  the  extent  and  strength 
of  the  resolution  of  resistance.  And  such  was  the 
spirit    animating    the  community,    that    men    who   had 

*  The  exact  date  of  this  alarm  we  are  not  able  to  state. 


ALARM,  37 

never  seen  the  tents  of  an  enemy,  left  the  plough  in  the 
furrow,  and  the  sickle  in  the  harvest,  and  went  out  to 
meet  the  trained  foe,  without  discipline,  equipments,  or 
munitions,*  It  is  said  by  one  historian  :  "  There  came 
men  without  officers,  and  officers  without  men,  long 
fowling  pieces  and  short  blunderbusses,  muskets  of  all 
sorts  and  sizes,  some  without  locks,  others  without 
stocks,  and  many  without  lock,  stock,  or  barrel  ;  car- 
tridge boxes,  shot  belts,  powder  horns,  swords,  hatchets, 
snickersees,  crow  bars,  and  broom  sticks  all  mingled 
together."  Ample  evidence  was  afforded  of  steadfast 
determination  to  meet  even  the  dreadful  appeal  to  war, 
and  a  sufficient  pledge  was  given  of  the  support  every 
town  might  hope  from  its  neighbors  in  extremity.    • 

One  beneficial  result  from  this  excitement,  was  the 
admonition  of  the  necessity  of  a  better  preparation  for 
the  contest  which  was  now  evidently  approaching.  At 
a  meeting  held  in  Princeton,  but  a  short  time  subse- 
quent to  that  period,  the  selectmen  were  instructed  to 
purchase  two  barrels  of  gunpowder,  one  hundred  weight 
of  lead  and  three  hundred  flints,  to  add  to  the  town 
stock.  This  vote  evinces  both  a  foresight  of  conse- 
quences  and  determinaieness  of  action  on  the  part  of 
the  town. 

In  October,  Moses  Gili  was  elected  representative  to 
the  General  Court  to  be  held  in  Salem,  and  Benjamin 
Holden  delegate  to  the  provincial  Congress  to  be  as- 
sembled at  Concord.  The  former  was  instructed,  "  ab- 
solutely to  refuse  to  be  sworn  to  represent  said  town  by 
any  unconstitutional  officer"  and,  "In  case  the  General 
Court  is  prevented  setting  constitutionally  to  repair  to 
Co&cord,  and  join    the  provincial    Congress."     The  in- 

*  C000  from  Worcester  County. 

4* 


38  INSTRUCTIONS. 

structions  to  the  latter  required  that  he  should  "  use  his 
greatest  influence  to  prevent  all  arbitrary  acts  of  Parlia- 
ment taking  place,  evidently  tending  to  destroy  the  lib- 
erties and  privileges  of  this  and  the  other  provinces," 
and  also  to  "  endeavor  to  make  provision  for  and  come 
into  such  measures  as  shall  be  for  the  peace  and  good 
order  of  this  Province." 

Gov.  Gage  was  a  royalist,  and  becoming  alarmed  by 
the  spirit  of  the  instructions  that  were  given  to  the  rep- 
resentatives in  most  towns,  and  the  stormy  aspect  of 
the  times,  issued  his  proclamation,  declaring  that  it  was 
expedient  the  session  of  the  General  Court,  summoned 
to  be  held  the  5th  of  October,  should  not  be  held  :  at 
the  same  time  discharging  the  members  from  attend- 
ance ;  and  announcing  his  intention  not  to  meet  the  as- 
sembly. But  the  current  of  popular  feeling  was  not 
thus  to  be  diverted.  The  representatives  elect  assem- 
bled at  Salem,  and,  resolving  themselves  into  a  provin- 
cial Congress,  elected  John  Hancock  President,  and 
Benjamin  Lincoln  Secretary,  and  immediately  adjourn- 
ed to  Concord.  Here  measures  were  taken  for  arming 
the  whole  province  ;  twelve  thousand  men  were  to  be 
raised,  and  to  hold  themselves  ready  to  march  at  a  mo- 
ment's warning. 

The  patriotic  resistance  to  invasions  of  liberty  was' 
not  confined  to  municipal  corporations  or  general  asem- 
blies  of  citizens.  The  fervid  enthusiasm,  pervading  the 
whole  fabric  of  society,  manifested  itself  in  varied  forms. 
The  following  document  is  found  appended  to  the  sec- 
ond volume  of  the  records  of  the  town,  without  date. — 
It  appears  to  be  an  oath  of  allegiance  or  declaration. — 
It  breathes  the  spirit  of  the  times  ;  and  was  probably 
drawn  some  time  during  the  year  1774  : 


OATH    OF    ALLEGIANCE.  39 

"  I  do  truly  and  sincerely  acknowledge,  profess,  tes- 
tify, and  declare,  that  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachu- 
setts is,  and  of  right  ought  to  be,  a  free,  sovereign,  and 
independent  State.  And  I  do  swear  that  I  will  bear 
true  faith  and  allegiance  to  the  said  Commonwealth,  and 
that  I  will  defend  the  same  against  all  traitorous  con- 
spiracies and  hostile  attempts  whatsoever — and  that  I  do 
renounce  and  abjure  all  allegiance,  subjection,  and  obe- 
dience to  the  King  or  government  of  Great  Britain,  and 
every  other  foreign  power  whatsoever.  And  that  no  for- 
eign prince,  person,  prelate,  state,  or  potentate,  hath  or 
ought  to  have  any  jurisdiction,  superiority,  pre-eminence, 
authority,  dispensing,  or  other  power,  in  any  matter, 
civil,  ecclesiastical,  or  spiritual,  within  this  Common- 
wealth— except  the  authority  and  power  which  is  or  may 
be  vested  by  their  constituents  in  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States ;  And  I  do  further  testify  and  declare  that 
no  man,  or  body  of  men  hath  or  can  have  any  right  to 
absolve  or  discharge  me  from  the  obligation  of  this  oath, 
declaration,  or  affirmation — and  that  I  do  make  this  ac- 
knowledgment, profession,  testimony,  declaration,  deni- 
al, renunciation,  and  abjuration,  heartily  and  truly,  ac- 
cording to  the  common  meaning  and  acceptation  of  the 
foregoing  words,  without  any  equivocation,  mental  eva- 
sion, or  secret  reservation  whatsoever,  so  help  me  God. 
"  Signed, 

Sadcy  Mason,  Samuel  Woods, 

Benjamin  Holden,  Boaz  Moore, 

Ebenczer  Parker,  William  Thompson, 

William  Dodds,  Humphrey  Moore, 

Enoch  Brooks,  Jonas  Smith." 

This  is  a  most  explicit  declaration   of  independence* 


40  PREPARATIONS    FOR    WAR. 

Whatever  may  Le  its  age  it  breathes  the  same  spirit 
that  is  found  in  the  splendid  document  of  1776,  which 
proclaimed  the  dissolution  of  all  ties  of  colonial  relation 

The  commencement  of  the  year,  1775,  was  a  period 
of  intense  interest.  The  difficulties  between  England 
and  her  American  colonies  were  fast  hastening  to  a  de- 
cision by  the  appeal  to  battle.  The  coercive  measures 
of  the  British  Parliament  required  the  Colonists  to  ac- 
knowledge principles  subversive  of  true  liberty.  Peti- 
tions and  remonstrances  failed  to  reconcile  the  parties. 
The  Colonists,  who  might  at  the  outset  have  been  con- 
tented with  the  redress  of  grievances,  and  by  reasonable 
concessions,  now  looked  forward  to  the  accomplishment 
of  independence.  The  indomitable  perseverance  of 
the  ministration  left  no  hope  of  reconciliation.  u  The 
language  of  moderation  was  still  on  the  lips  of  men,  but 
stern  determination  in  their  hearts.  It  was  like  the 
pause  on  the  eve  of  fight,  when  the  signal  for  engage- 
ment is  impatiently  awaited."  Preparations  for  the 
conflict  were  actively,  though  silently,  made,  both  on 
the  part  of  the  British  and  the  colonies. 

The  town  records  show  the  people  of  Princeton  to 
have  been  not  behind  their  neighbors  in  their  prepara- 
tions for  the  struggle  that  was  about  to  commence.  In 
March,  "  the  standing  company"  were  directed  to 
"train  once  a  week,"  and  to  "  put  themselves  in  a 
proper  position  for  defence."*  At  the  same  time,  it 
was  voted  to  procure  seventy-two  dollars  for  the  use  of 
the  company  of  minute  men,  besides  the  necessary  ac- 
coutrements. This  company  consisted  of  thirty-six  men. 
The  selectmen  were  instructed  to  pay  said  money  "when 

*  The  officers  of  tliis  company  were  Ebenezer  Jones,  Captain  ;  Joseph  Par- 
sent,  Lieutenant ;  and  Samuel  Hastings,  Ensign. 


MILITIA.  41 

they  marched."  Their  services  were  soon  to  be  required 
in  their  country's  defence.  On  the  19th  of  April,  an 
express  came  to  the  town,  shouting  "  to  arms  ;  the  war 
is  begun."  As  the  news  spread,  the  implements  of  hus- 
bandry were  thrown  aside  in  the  field,  and  the  citizens 
left  their  homes  with  no  greater  delay  than  was  needful 
to  seize  their  arms.  In  a  short  time,  the  minute  men 
were  paraded  and  took  up  their  line  of  march  towards 
Lexington  and  Concord. 

While  the  military  strength  of  the  town  was  arrayed 
in  arms  against  the  troops  of  the  King,  the  committee  of 
correspondence  were  dealing  with  the  internal  enemies 
of  the  country.  The  following  vote  is  recorded  on  the 
town  records,  May  24  :  "Voted  on  reading  the  paper 
received  from  the  Congress,  that  the  committee  of  cor- 
respondence retire  to  receive  the  complaint  of  any  per- 
son against  any  one  suspected  to  be  unfriendly  to  their 
country,  and  that  they  make  their  reporc  of  such  persons 
complained  of  to  the  town  for  their  further  considera- 
tion." The  committee,  upon  their  return,  reported  that 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Timothy  Fuller  and  Lieut.  Caleb  Mirick 
are  complained  of  as  persons  suspected  to  be  unfriendly 
to  their  country — Mr.  Fuller  for  refusing  to  call  a  Fast* 
last  year,  and  for  his  public  discourse  to  the  minute 
company  the  last  Fastf  as  tending  to  discourage  people  in 
defeuding  their  rights  and  liberties,  and  for  taking  cattle 
suspected  to  be  Col.  Jones'  property  ;  Mr.  Mirick  for 
taking  cattle  suspected  to  be  Col.  Jones'  and  for  enter- 
taining tories  at  sundry  times, — which  complaint  being 

*  A  Fast  appointed  by  the  General  Court,  during  its  session  in  1774  in  imi- 
tation of  their  pious  ancestors,  "  who  on  ail  occasions  of  con  mon  danger  and 
distress  devoutly  looked  to  God  for  direction  and  favor." 

f  Mr.  Fuller's  text  on  that  occasion  w.is  the  following  :  "  Let  not  him  that 
jiirdeth  on  the  harness  boast  himself  as  he  that  putteth  it  off." 


42  REV.    MR.    FULLER. 

read,  the  town  then  voted  "  that  Mr.  Fuller  and  Lieut. 
Caleb  Mirick*  be  inquired  of  for  their  conduct  touching 
said  complaint." 

At  an  adjournment  of  this  meeting,  June  20th,  Mr. 
Fuller  presented  a  "paper  to  the  town  for  their  consider- 
ation," vindicating  himself  from  the  above-named-charg- 
es. The  town,  however,  voted  that  said  '*  paper  "  was 
unsatisfactory,  and  at  the  same  time  voted  '*  to  hear  Mr. 
Fuller  a  fortnight  longer  in  order  to  inquire  into  his  late 
conduct;  "  and  also  that  an  addition  of  four  be  made  to 
the  committee  of  correspondence  for  this  purpose,  and 
made  choice  of  Messrs.  John  Ellis,  Ephraim  Hartwell, 
Charles  Brooks,  and  Joseph  Phelps  accordingly.  At  the 
expiration  of  the  time,  the  committee  of  correspondence 
presented  a  second  "  paper  "  from  Mr.  Fuller,  which 
shared. a  like  fate  with  the  first, f  At  this  meeting,  af- 
ter the  rejection  of  said  "paper,"  it  was  moved  to  choose 
a  committee  "  to  draw  up  something  further  for  Mr.  Ful- 
ler to  sign  as  satisfactory  to  the  town  and  to  make  re- 
port of  the  same."  The  following  were  elected:  Sadey 
Mason,  Capt.  Moore,  Dea.  Howe,  Charles  Brooks,  and 
Joseph  Eveleth.  Attempts  were  made  to  reconsider  the 
the  last  mentioned  vote,  but  they  were  ineffectual.  Con- 
sequently the  above-mentioned  committee,  at  a  subse- 
quent meeting,  held  June  20th,  reported  a  "paper"  for 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Fuller  to  sign  as  satisfactory  to  the  town." 
It  was  then  moved,  seconded  and  voted  that  Mr.  Fuller 
sign  the  paper  before  the  town  act  upon  it;  accordingly 
agreeable  to  said  vote  the  paper  was  signed  by  Mr.  Ful- 
ler, in  presence  of  the  town;  it  was   then  put,  to  see  if 

*  No  further  action  was  taken  on  Mr.  Mirick's  ca  e.  The  inference  is  tka 
he  satisfied  the  town  of  the  rectitude  of  his  conduct  and  intentions. 

t  Neither  of  these  "  papers"  are  on  the  records  of  the  town.  They  are 
probably  among  the  tilings  that  were. 


REV.    MR.    FULLER.  43 

the  town  were  satisfied  with  said  papers  for  his  past  con- 
duct, so  far  as  it  appeared  unfriendly  to  the  common 
cause,  and  it  was  voted  not  satisfactory. 

This  procedure  on  the  part  of  the  town  was  a  strange 
anomaly.  It  is  very  evident,  whatever  might  have  been 
the  character  of  this  "  paper,"  it  having  been  drawn  up 
by  men  who  were  firm  supporters  of  the  revolution,  and, 
of  course,  opposed  to  all  who  were  royalists,  that  but 
one  thing  should  have  prevented  its  being  satisfactory — 
and  that  was,  Mr.  Fuller's  refusal  to  sign  it.  But  they 
did  not  let  the  matter  rest  here.  On  the  16th  of  Aug-. 
the  town  voted  to  request  Mr  Fuller  to  ask  a  dismission, 
and  also  chose  a  committee  to  wait  on  Mr.  Fuller  and 
acquaint  him  with  the  above  request.  And  on  the  28th 
of  the  same  month,  a  committee  was  chosen,  consisting 
of  Lieut.  Mirick,  Dea.  Keyes,  Mr.  Brigham,  Mr  Woods, 
and  Abner  Howe,  "  to  draw  up  reasons  "  why  the  town 
made  said  request.  At  the  same  time,  the  committee 
of  correspondence  reported,  in  reference  to  his  political 
conduct,  representing  him  as  being  unfriendly  to  the 
rights  and  liberties  of  America.  At  the  adjournment  of 
this  meeting  on  the  3 1st,  Mr.  Fuller  presented  a  third 
"  paper,"  in  accordance  with  the  request  made  by  a 
committee  in  behalf  of  the  town.  But  this,  as  might  be 
expected,  was  equally  unsatisfactory  with  the  two  pre- 
ceeding.  Oct.  5th  it  was  voted  by  the  town  to  request 
the  assistance  of  some  of  the  committee  of  correspon- 
dence in  the  neighboring  towns  "to  advise  respecting 
Mr.  Fuller's  conduct  as  a  tory."  Dec.  26th,  a  commit- 
tee consisting  of  John  Ellis,  Ebeneezer  Hartwell,  Capt. 
Moore,  William  Thompson  and  Thomas  Mason  were 
elected,  who  in  conjunction  with  a  committee  of  the 
church,  were  to  prepare   allegations  against  Mr.  Fuller, 


44  REV.    MR.    FULLER. 

and  on  the  8th  of  January  following,  the  town  voted  to 
unite  with  the  church  in  calling  a  council,  "  if  upon  the 
advice  the  church  and  town  committees  should  obtain, 
should  make  it  appear  proper  to  have  a  council."  Ac- 
cordingly a  council*  was  convened  at  Princeton,  to  take 
into  consideration  the  propriety  of  Mr.  Fuller's  dismis- 
sion ;  and  on  the  19th  of  March  the  council  advised  to 
his  dismission,  and  consequently  he  was  dismissed,  by  a 
vote  of  the  church  on  the  20th,  and  the  town  on  the 
24th.  At  the  same  time  the  town  chose  a  commit- 
tee consisting  of  Lieut.  Caleb  Mirick,  Dea.  Adonijah 
Howe,  Joseph  Haynes,  Samuel  Moseman,  Lieut.  Joseph 
Eveleth,  James  Mirick,  and  Nathaniel  Cutler,  "  to  keep 
Mr.  Fuller  out  of  the  pulpit.'"  This  committee  were 
faithful  in  attending  to  the  duty  assigned  them,  and 
standing  on  the  pulpit  stairs,  as  required  by  law,  "  did 
on  the  following  Sunday,  with  force  and  arms,  restrain 
and  keep  out  of  the  said  pulpit,  him  the  aforesaid  Tim-' 
othy  Fuller."  The  dealings  of  the  town  with  Mr.  Ful- 
ler, were  of  no  gentle  character  ;  and  they  evince  the 
"  revolutiouary  enthusiasm"  which  pervaded  the  inhab-' 
itants  at  that  time.  During  the  whole  revolutionarv 
struggle  the  same  spirit  was  manifested.  They  cheer- 
fully met  the  demands  of  the  State  and  Congress,  to> 
whatever  sacrifice  it  might  subject  them.  In  January, 
as  recommended  by  Congress,  a  contribution  of  money 
and  provisions  was  raised  for  the  towns  of  Boston  and 
Charlestown. 

On  the  1st  of  May,  a  resolve  of  the  Continental  Con- 
gress provided  for  the  removal  of  the  indigent  inhabi- 
tants of  Boston,  estimated  to  number  five  thousand,  and 

*The  proceedings  of  said  council, "and  aUo  of  the  church,  narrated  under 
another  head.    Chapter  6. 


AMERICAN    REVOLUTION.  45 

their  distribution  among  the  towns  of  the  interior.  The 
proportion  of  Princeton  was  24,  which  the  town  voted 
to  receive. 

March,  4th,  1776,  it  was  voted  to  add  two  persons  to 
the  committee  of  correspondence  in  the  place  of  Col. 
Benjamin  Holden  and  Capt.  John  Jones  who  had  joined 
the  continental  army. 

Men  were  drafted,  in  the  early  part  of  the  year,  for 
the  reinforcement  of  the  army  investing  Boston,  by  the 
officers  of  the  militia  and  the  selectmen.  At  this  time 
several  were  levied  in  Princeton. 

Qn  the  14th  of  June,  a  motion  was  made,  to  see  if 
the  town  would  support  independence,  if  it  should  be 
declared  ;  and  it  was  voted  unanimously  to  "  concur 
with  the  Continental  Congress,  in  case  they  shall  de- 
clare independency."  July  14,  1770,  the  Declaration 
of  Independence  was  received.  "  This  instrument,  the 
eloquent  echo  of  sentiments  as  boldly  expressed,  in  less 
splendid  form,  from  almost  every  village  of  New  Eng- 
land, long  before  they  were  promulgated  in  that  paper 
which  has  been  reverenced  as  the  Magna  Charta  of 
Freedom,"  was  hailed  with  joy  by  the  inhabitants  of 
Princeton,  and  stands  recorded  on  the  town's  records. 

On  the  10th  of  September,  one  fifth  part  of  the  mili- 
tia of  the  State  of  Massachusetts  were  called  out  imme- 
diately to  march  to  New  York,  to  prevent  the  enemy 
from  cutting  off  the  communication  between  the  Amer- 
ican army  in  the  city  and  on  the  island  of  New  York, 
and  the  country.  One  fourth  part  that  remained  of  the 
military,  were  required  to  be  equipped  and  ready  to 
march  at  a  moment's  warning  should  their  services  be 
needed.  Frequent  demands  were  made  for  soldiers  for 
the  defence  of  Boston  and  other  exposed  places.  Prince- 
5 


46  REGULATION    OF    PRICES. 

ton  answered  each  call,  following  in  quick   succession, 
to  the  utmost  extent  of  her  means. 

On  the  30th  of  September,  it  was  submitted  to  the 
people  to  determine,  whether  they  would  consent,  that 
the  House  of  Representatives  and  Council  in  Conven- 
tion, should  adopt  such  constitution  and  frame  of  gov- 
ernment, as,  on  mature  deliberation,  they  should  judge 
would  be  most  conducive  to  the  safety,  peace,  and  hap- 
piness of  the  State  in  after  generations.  The  town 
voted  that  they  have  the  power,  to  adopt,  a  "new  Consti- 
tution" and  frame  a  system  of  government  for  this  State. 

To  prevent  monopoly  upon  such  articles  as  were  con- 
sidered the  necessaries  of  life,  the  Selectmen,  and  com- 
mittee of  correspondence  were  empowered  by  an  act  of 
the  Provincial  Congress,  to  fix  and  establish  ultimum 
prices.  A  committee  was  chosen  May  26,  to  prosecute 
all  breaches  of  the  regulations  reported  for  the  sale  of 
said  articles,  in  Princeton. 

But  a  short  time  elapsed  before  the  beneficial  results 
of  the  regulations  established  throughout  the  Common- 
wealth, were  defeated,  by  the  fluctuations  of  the  curren- 
cy unsustained  by  a  metallic  basis,  which  finally  depre* 
ciated  to  worthlessness. 

The  year  1777,  had  scarcely  commenced  when  a 
requisition  was  made  for  every  seventh  of  the  male  in- 
habitants, over  16  years  of  age,  to  complete  the  quota  of 
Massachusetts,  in  the  continental  army  to  serve  for  eight 
months  at  least.  At  a  meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Princeton,  in  March,  it  was  voted  to  give  twenty  pounds 
to  each  man  that  would  enlist  in  the  continental  army 
for  three  years  or  during  the  war. 

In  March  each  town  was  required  to  procure,  and  de- 
liver, shirts,  stockings,  and  other    clothing  for  the  Mas* 


RELIEF THE     CURRENCY.  47 

sachusetts  soldiers  in  the  continental  army,  in  the  pro- 
portion of  one  set  to  every  seven  males  over  16  years  of 
age  of  the  population.  Princeton  supplied  her  propor- 
tion, for  which  compensation  was  subsequently  made. 

Aug.  9,  fourteen  men  were  drafted  to  join  the  north- 
ern army  three  weeks  under  Gen.  Lincoln. 

The  inhabitants  expressed  their  approbation  of  the 
articles  of  confederation  of  the  United  States,  and  their 
determination  to  support  the  government  by  their  ut- 
most exertions. 

A  constitution  for  the  State  reported  by  a  committee 
of -the  General  Court,  in  December  1777,  and  approved 
by  that  body  in  January  following,  was  submitted  to  the 
people  in  April,  and  approved  by  a  very  small  majority. 
Of  37  votes  given  in  Princeton,  twenty  were  in  favor 
and  seventeen  opposed  to  acceptance. 

Several  of  the  citizens  of  Princeton  were  drafted, 
under  the  resolve  of  June  12,  1778,  for  raising  180  men 
for  an  expedition  to  Rhode  Island.  On  the  23d  of  June 
two  were  required,  as  guards  to  the  captured  troops  of 
General  Burgoyne.  Voted  <£72,  be  granted  for  boun- 
ties to  soldiers  and  the  support  of  their  families.  The 
town  voted  to  obtain  on  loan  the  money  necessary  for 
the  payment  of  bounties. 

In  1779  severe  distress  was  experienced,  from  the  de- 
preciation of  the  currency,  the  exorbitant  price  for  the 
necessaries  of  life,  and  also  the  distrust  of  public  credit. 
A  convention  assembled  at  Concord,  by  the  invitation  of 
Boston,  July  14th,  composed  of  delegates  from  all  parts 
of  the  State,  for  the  purpose  of  consulting  on  measures 
to  give  effect  to  the  recommendations  of  Congress  to  the 
United  States  for  the  relief  of  the  people.  Princeton 
was  represented   by   the  committee   of  correspondence. 


48  CONVENTIONS. 

Prices  were  regulated  by  a  moderate  apprizal  of  the 
value  of  articles  of  produce  and  merchandize;  loans  to 
government,  provision  for  the  support  of  the  clergy,  and 
attention  to  schools  as  the  means  of  good  education, 
were  earnestly  recommended. 

The  town  at  a  meeting  August  6th,  expressed  cordial 
approbation  of  the  proceedings  of  said  convention. 

Thomas  Parker  was  elected  a  delegate  to  attend  a 
county  convention,  to  be  held  at  Worcester,  on  the  11th 
of  August,  when  a  scale  of  prices  was  fixed,  and  resolu- 
tions adopted  to  adhere  to  and  execute  the  regulations. 

The^same  gentleman  was  deputed  to  attend  the  second 
State  Convention,  at  Concord,  Oct.  12,  where  a  more 
detailed  regulation  of  prices  was  made,  resolutions  pass- 
ed, and  an  address  framed,  not  essentially  different  from 
those  of  the  former  meeting. 

The  town  delegated  seven  men  in  addition  to  the  com- 
mittee of  correspondence  to  carry  the  resolutions  of  the 
Convention  into  effect. 

Nine  soldiers  were  raised  Oct.  9,  to  join  Gen.  Wash- 
ington, at  Claverick,  on  Hudson  river  ;  and  were  sup- 
ported by  the  town,  at  a  charge,  in  the  aggregate  of 
£450. 

In  November  the  town  voted  to  petition  the  General 
Court  to  refund  one  of  the  fines  paid  by  the  town  for 
a  deficiency  in  raising  their  quota  of  men  for  the  conti- 
nental army. 

The  exertions  of  preceding  years  had  almost  ex- 
hausted the  money  market,  and  means  of  the  country. 
The  difficulty  of  complying  at  the  commencement  of 
1780  with  the  increased  requisitions  for  public  defence 
was  severely  felt,  and  the  burdens  of  the  war  rested  with 
heavy  pressure  on  the  community.     Yet  strenuous  efforts 


PAY    OF    SOLDIERS.  49 

were  made  to  sustain  the  army  and    meet   the  frequent 
demands  of  the  government. 

In  compliance  with  a  resolve  of  June  22d,  twelve 
men  were  raised  for  the  Continental  Army  at  Claverick. 
Provisions  being  needed  for  the  army,  Princeton  pur- 
chased beef  according  to  resolve  of  Sept.  25,  to  the 
amount  of  =£8460.  At  another  time,  to  the  amount  of 
<?£1600.  The  town  obtained  a  loan  also  of  <£15,000  to 
raise  men  for  the  army.  At  another  time,  .£22,305, 
16s,  Id. 

May  29th,  the  Bill  of  Rights  and  Frame  of  Govern- 
ment were  submitted  to  the  people,  and  accepted  by  a 
Jarge  majority,  thirty-two  in  favor,  five  against. 

The  first  elections  under  this  constitution,  ratified  by 
the  people,  took  place  in  September.  The  votes  of 
Princeton  were  divided  ;  Hancock  received  27,  and  Bow- 
doin  17  for  Governor  ;  James  Warren,  27  and  Artemas 
Ward  17  for  Leiut.  Governor. 

In  1781,  the  supplying  of  soldiers  had  become  so  dif- 
ficult, that  they  were  only  procured  by  exorbitant  boun- 
ties, and  the  most  zealous  exertions.  Hence  for  the  en- 
couragement of  soldiers,  the  town,  Jan.  17,  "  Voted, 
that  each  soldier  that  shall  enlist  in  the  continental  ser- 
vice for  three  years,  or  during  the  war,  receive  one  hun- 
dred hard  dollars,  in  the  following  manner,  viz  :  twenty 
hard  dollars,  and  twenty  more  in  paper,  at  the  exchange, 
viz  :  seventy-five  for  one  to  be  paid  before  he  inarches  ; 
thirty  dollars  to  be  paid  in  six  months  after  marching  ; 
and  thirty  more  in  one  year  after  marching  ;  to  be  deliv- 
ered to  the  soldier  in  camp  if  required.  And  at  the  end 
of  three  years,  each  soldier  shall  receive  twelve  three- 
year  old  cattle,  of  a  middling  size,  or  current  money 
equivalent  to  purchase  said  cattle.  And  each  soldier 
5* 


50  THE    CURRENCY. 

shall  receive  the  aforesaid  encouragement  only  in  pro- 
portion to  the  time  he  shall  be  in  the  service.''  Security 
was  given  for  said  cattle. 

In  March  the  sum  of  .£2025  old  currency  was  levied 
to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  continental  army.  And 
in  May  following  the  selectmen  reported,  as  having  paid 
to  the  war  committee,  at  sundry  times  <£19,273  :  13s:  6d  : 
If.  Subsequently  ,£9000  for  beef,  and  .£784 :  10s  in 
money*  for  soldiers. 

The  minute  recital  we  have  followed  seemed  necessa- 
ry, as  the  only  means  of  giving  adequate  idea  of  those 
municipal  exertions  whose  merit  has  almost  passed  from 
remembrance,  in  the  triumphant  results  they  aided  to  ac- 
complish. 

*  "  The  amount  of  money  raised  by  the  inhabitants  for  the  support  of  the 
war,  was  really  very  great.  The  depreciation  of  the  paper  currency  rendered 
the  nominal  amount  of  taxation  excessive.  The  true  value  of  grants  and  ap- 
propriations may  be  estimated  by  reference  to  the  subjoined  scale.  The  figures 
indicate  the  number  of  dollars,  in  continental  currency,  equivalent  to  one 
hundred,  in  gold  or  silver.  To  April,  1780,  the  value  was  fixed  as  stated  be- 
low, by  the  act  of  Massachusetts.  From  that  date,  it  has  been  ascertained  by 
taking  the  average  depreciation  through  the  month. 

1777.  1778.  1779.  1780. 

January 105  325  742  2934 

February 107  350  868  3322 

March    109  375  1000  3736 

April 112  400  1104  4000 

May 115  400  1215  5450 

June 120  400  1342  6650 

July 125  425  1477  6900 

August 150  450  1C30  7000 

September 175  475  1800  7100 

October 275  500  2030  7200 

November 300  545  2308  7250 

December 310  634  2595  7400 

In  1781,  one  dollar  of  specie,  was  equal  to  187  cents,  in  new  emission  bills, 
from  Feb.  27  to  May  1  :  225  to  May  25 :  300  to  June  15  :  400  to  Oct.  1.  Below 
these  dates  the  depreciation  approached  total  woithlessness. 

The  whole  expenses  of  the  Revolutionary  war  to  the  States  were,  in  paper 
money:— $359,547,027  5  estimated  in  specie  $135;I93,707."  Lincoln's  His.  oi 
Worcester,  p.  125. 


INSTRUCTIONS.  51 

The  supplies  and  expenditures  of  the  towns,  were 
charged  to  the  Commonwealth,  and  allowed  by  the  U. 
States.  But  they  went  only  to  discharge  taxes  and 
assessments,  consequently,  they  were  in  reality,  uncom- 
pensated gratuities  to  the  public. 

Princeton  furnished  a  large  proportion  of  her  male 
population  to  the  army  of  the  Revolution  The  exact 
numbers  in  service  cannot  be  ascertained  with  cer- 
tainty.* 

The  last  doings  of  the  town  in  reference  to  revolution 
matters,  were  the  instructions  given  to  Mr.  Asa  Whit- 
comb,  Esq.,  Representative  to  the  General  Court  in 
1783,  which  were  as  follows  : — 

"  As  it  is  the  undoubted  right  of  all  constituents  to 
instruct  their  Representative  from  time  to  time  as  they 
shall  see  occasion  ;  we  your  free  and  independent  elec- 
tors take  this  opportunity  to  claim  and  to  exercise  that 
right,  and  to  transmit  to  you  our  sentiments  upon  two 
points,  which  we  look  upon  to  be  of  the  utmost  impor- 
tance at  this  juncture  to  the  whole  Continent : — 

"  1st.  We  have  observed  with  concern  a  late  resolu- 
tion of  Congress  granting  to  the  officers  of  the  army  five 
years  pay  upon  the  army's  being  disbanded,  which  we 
apprehend  is  unnecessary,  impolitic  and  unjust — a  bur- 
den this  people  are  unable  to  bear,  and  are  unwilling  to 
submit  to — -we  recommend  to  you,  therefore,  to  promote 
a  strict  inquiry  into  the  power  of  Congress  established 
by  the  confederation,  and  that  you  use  your  utmost  en- 
deavors to  secure  the  liberties  of  the  people  from  all 
arbitrary    and    unconstitutional    stretches  of  authority ; 

*  A  document  found  in  the  appendix  contains  an  imperfect  account  of  the 
number  of  men  furnished  at  the  expense  of  the  town. 


52  INSTRUCTIONS. 

and  that  you  join  in  a  remonstrance  to  Congress  touch- 
ing the  injustice  of  such  a  resolution  and  warmly  solicit 
a  repeal  of  it.  That  the  public  monies  may  be  admin- 
istered with  as  much  frugality  as  possible,  and  not  be 
squandered  away  with  prodigality  and  profusion. 

"2d.  We  strictly  enjoin  it  upon  you — that  you  do  not 
under  any  pretence  whatever  consent  to  the  return  ot 
those  persons  whose  names  are  mentioned,  in  an  act  ot 
this  State  entitled  '  an  act  to  prevent  the  return  to  this 
State  of  certain  persons  therein  named,  and  others  who 
have  left  this  State,  or  either  of  the  United  States  and 
joined  the  enemies  thereof;'  but  that  you  use  your 
influence  to  prevent  their  return,  as  they  are  the  objects 
of  popular  jealousy  and  dislike — that  the  minds  of  the 
people  be  no  longer  agitated  with  repeated  returns  of 
the  refugees."* 

*  Messrs.  Moses  Gill,  Sadey  Mason,  and  Joseph  Sargent,  were  a  committee 
who  reported  said  instructions — which  were  also  adopted  by  the  town. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

tnsnrrection — Distress  of  the  People — County  Convention — Instructions  to 
Col.  Sargent— Grievances— Courts  suspended — Capt.  Gale  at  the  Court 
House — Court  of  Sessions  Interrupted — Preparations  of  Government — 
Daniel  Shays — Forces  of  Insurgents— Insurgents  occupy  the  Court  House  - 
Consultation  of  the  Insurgents — The  Retreat — Gen.  Lincoln's  Army — 
Termination  of  the  Rebellion — Henry  Gale. 

Scarcely  were  the  struggles  of  the  revolution  over, 
and  the  smoke  of  its  burning  lost  in  a  clear  sky,  before 
internal  dissensions  threatened  the  overthrow  of  the 
general  government,     Difficulties  presented  themselves, 


INSURRECTION.  53 

which,  in  their  progress,  brought  the  Commonwealth  of 
Massachusetts  to  the  very  verge  of  ruin. 

We  would  refrain  from  an  allusion  to  the  insurrection 
known  in  History  as  the  Shays'  Rebellion  could  its  ex- 
istence   be  effaced  from    memory.     But   those    events 
cannot  be  forgotten,  since  they  stand  with  prominence 
upon  the  annals  of  the  State.     Neither    is   the    voice  of 
tradition  silent  upon  this    subject.     "  Historical   truth, 
however,  not  unfrequently  checks  and  properly  tempers 
the  fervor  of  admiration  which  we  sometimes   experi- 
ence, when  contemplating  the  patriotic  exertions  of  our 
ancestors.     That    there    existed  circumstances,  which 
palliated,  though  they  did  not  justify,  the  conduct    of 
those  who  rebelled  against  the  government  of  their  own 
enactment,  is  clearly  evident.5'     "  After  eight  years  of 
war,  Massachusetts  stood  with  the  splendor  of  triumph, 
in  republican  poverty,  bankrupt    in  resources,  with  no 
revenue  but  of  an  expiring  currency,  and  no  metal   in 
her  treasury  more  precious  than  the  continental  copper, 
bearing  the  devices  of  union  and  freedom.     The  coun- 
try had  been  drained  by  taxation  for  the  support  of  the 
army  of  independence,  to  the  utmost  limit  of  its  means  ; 
public  credit  was  extinct,  manners  had  become  relaxed, 
trade  decayed,  manufactures  languishing,    paper  money 
depreciated  to  worthlessness,  claims  on  the  nation  accu- 
mulated by  the  commutation  of  the  pay  of  officers  for 
securities,  and  a  heavy  and   increasing   pressure  of  debt 
rested  on  the  Commonwealth,  corporations  and  citizens. 
The  first  reviving  efforts  of  commerce  overstocked  the 
markets  with  foreign  luxuries  and  superfluities,  sold  to 
those  who  trusted  to  the  future  to  supply  the  ability  of 
payment.     The  temporary  act  of  1782  making  property 
a  tender  in  discharge  of  pecuniary  contracts,  instead  of 


54  COUNTY    CONVENTIONS. 

the  designed  remedial  effect,  enhanced  the  evils  of  gen- 
eral insolvency,  by  the  postponing  collections.  The 
outstanding  demands  of  the  royalists'  refugees,  who  had 
been  driven  from  large  estates  and  extensive  business, 
enforced  with  no  lenient  forbearance,  came  in  to  in- 
crease the  embarrassments  of  the  deferred  pay-day.  At 
length  a  flood  of  suits  broke  out.  In  1784,  more  than 
2000  actions  were  entered  in  the  county  of  Worcester, 
then  having  a  population  less  than  50.000,  and  in  1785, 
about  1700."*  Property  of  every  description  was  seized 
and  sold  at  great  sacrifice,  the  general  difficulties  having 
driven  away  purchasers. 

Amid  the  great  distress  of  the  people,  many  were  ex- 
cited to  frenzy  by  the  actual  evil  of  enormous  debt,  and 
by  the  supposed  grievances  of  a  defective  constitution, 
a  corrupt  administration,  and  unequal  and  unjust  laws. 
It  is  not  surprising  that  in  such  a  state  of  affairs  a  reme- 
dy should  be  sought  by  resort  to  the  most  unjustifiable 
measures.  Previous  to  the  close  of  the  revolutionary 
war,  there  were  some  indications  of  uneasiness  mani- 
fested, on  the  part  of  the  people,  in  reference  to  some 
of  the  acts  of  the  Legislature,  as  the  operation  of  laws 
conflicted  with  their  views  of  expediency  and  their  in- 
terests. In  17S2,  however,  the  complaints  of  grievan- 
ces were  of  a  more  general  character.  As  early  as 
April  of  that  year,  a  Convention  was  held  at  Worcester, 
composed  of  delegates  from  twenty-six  towns  in  the 
County.  This  Convention  attributed  the  prevailing  dis- 
satisfaction of  the  people  to  a  want  of  confidence  in  the 
disbursement  of  the  enormous  sums  of  money  annnally 
assessed,  and  recommended  instructions  to  the  represen- 
tatives in  General  Court,  to  require  immediate  settle- 

*See  Lincoln's  History  of  Worcester,  Chap.  VIH. 


INSTRUCTIONS.  55 

ment  with  all  public  officers  entrusted  with  the  funds  of 
the  Commonwealth,  to  reduce  the  compensation  of  the 
members  of  the  House  and  the  fees  of  lawyers,  to  pro- 
cure sessions  of  the  Court  of  Probate  in  various  places 
in  the  County  of  Worcester, — the  revival  of  confessions 
of  debt,  enlargement  of  the  jurisdiction  of  Justices  of 
Peace  to  .£20, — contribution  to  the  support  of  the  con- 
tinental army  in  specific  articles  instead  of  money, — and 
the  settlement  of  accounts  between  Massachusetts  and 
Congress.  At  an  adjourned  session,  May  14,  the  Con- 
vention recommended,  that  the  account  of  public  ex- 
penditures should  annually  be  rendered  to  the  towns; — 
that  the  General  Court  be  removed  from  Boston,  a  sepa- 
ration of  the  business  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas 
and  Sessions,  and  also  an  inquiry  into  the  grants  of  lands 
in  the  State  of  Maine  in  favor  of  Alexander  Shepherd 
and  others.  Princeton  was  represented  in  this  assem- 
blage by  Lieut.  Charles  Brooks. 

Although  these  complaints  were  unnoticed  by  the  Le- 
gislature, the  spirit  of  discontent  was  hushed  and  quieted 
for  a  season.  But  the  murmurs  of  the  coming  storm 
were  again  heard  here  in  August,  1786.  On  receipt  of 
the  invitation  of  a  Convention  holden  at  Leicester,  June 
26,  requesting  the  participation  of  the  town,  at  an  ad- 
journed meeting,  to  be  held  in  the  month  of  August,  at 
the  same  place. 

The  inhabitants  determined,  by  a  great  majority,  to 
comply  ;  and  accordingly  elected  Col.  Sargent  a  dele- 
gate, with  the  following  instructions  : — 

"  As  the  safety  and  happiness  of  a  people  depend  upon 
the  support  of  Government  and  good  and  wholesome 
Laws  are  to  be  enacted  by  the  Legislature  for  that  pur- 


56  GRIEVANCES. 

pose,  and  that  no  people  or  body  of  men  can  be  safe 
without  it, — and  that  justice  ought  to  be  administered 
in  a  way  least  expensive  to  the  people — it  is  therefore 
the  sense  of  this  town  at  this  day  of  public  distress  that 
the  number,  and  salaries  of  public  officers  ought  to  be 
reduced, — and  that  in  our  opinion  Government  might 
be  supported  at  a  less  expense  than  it  is  at  present, — 
and  that  the  granting  moneys  from  time  to  time  to  per- 
sons employed  in  the  public  service,  other  than  amply 
to  reward  them  for  their  service,  is  oppressive,  and  ought 
not  to  be  done  under  any  pretence  whatever  ;  that  it  is 
the  sense  of  this  town  that  petitions  be  sent  to  His  Ex- 
cellency the  Governor,  by  the  people  of  this  Common- 
wealth, praying  him  to  call  the  General  Assembly  to- 
gether as  soon  as  may  be,  to  take  under  consideration 
the  distresses  of  the  good  people  of  this  Commonwealth, 
that  some  measures  may  be  taken  for  their  relief,  par- 
ticularly that  industry  and  manufactures  may  be  en- 
couraged, and  superfluities  as  much  as  possible  be  avoid- 
ed. And  it  is  the  sense  of  this  town  that  the  making  a 
paper  currency  will,  instead  of  granting  relief,  involve 
us  in  confusion,  and  that  it  be  recommended  to  the  good 
people,  to  cultivate  a  benevolent  temper,  and  disposition 
towards  their  fellow  mortals  at  this  day  of  distress,  and 
those  that  are  strong,  bear  the  infirmities  of  the  weak." 

In  addition  to  the  grievances  referred  to  in  the  previ- 
ous Conventions,  the  following  were  enumerated  at  this 
in  Leicester  : — abuses  in  the  practice  of  the  law  ;  the 
number  and  salaries  of  public  offcers  ;  grants  to  the  At- 
torney General  and  to  Congress  while  the  State  accounts 
remained  unpaid,  together  with  some  others. 

To  this  period  the  people   had  sought  redress  by  the 


COURTS    SUSPENDED.  57 

constitutional  appeal  to  the  Legislature.  The  first  open 
act  of  insurrection  followed  immediately  after  the  close  of 
the  Convention  last  named.  The  September  following, 
Capt.  Adam  Wheeler,  of  Hubbardston,  heading  a  band 
of  eighty  armed  men,  entered  Worcester  and  took  pos- 
session of  the  Court  House.  Their  numbers  were  soon 
augmented  to  more  than  four  hundred  ;  "  half  with  fire- 
arms, and  the  remainder  furnished  with  sticks."  The 
Colonels  in  the  brigade  were  ordered  on  the  part  of  gov- 
ernment to  call  out  their  regiments,  and  march,  without 
a  moment's  delay,  to  sustain  the  judicial  tribunals;  but 
the  order  was  unavailing,  for  the  militia  shared  in  the 
disaffection,  and  generally  favored  those  movements  of 
the  people  directed  against  civil  government,  and  tending 
to  the  subversion  of  social  order.  Hence  the  Court 
finding  that  no  reliance  could  be  placed  on  that  right 
arm,  on  which  the  government  rested  for  defence — it  be- 
ing paralyzed,  and  of  consequence  entertaining  no  hope 
of  being  permitted  to  proceed  with  business,  adjourned 
until  December  following,  continuing  all  causes  to 
that  term.  Announcement  was  made  by  the  sheriff  to 
the  people,  and  a  copy  of  the  record  communicated.- — 
The  Court  of  Sessions  also  considering  their  deliberr- 
ations  controlled  by  the  mob,  of  insurgents^— or  Regu- 
lators as  they  styled  themselves, — deemed  it  expedient  to 
imitate  the  example  of  the  superior  tribunal  and  there- 
fore  adjourned  to  the  21st  of  November.  Before  night 
closed  down  on  the  day  in  which  the  courts  were  sus- 
pended, the  Regulators,  elated  with  their  partial  success 
returned  home  to  foment  greater  commotions:  and  thus 
terminated  the  first  interference  of  the  citizens  in  arms 
with  the  course  of  justice." 

The  success  of  the  insurgents  had  an  unfavorable  in? 
6 


58        CAPT.  GALE  AT  THE  COURT  HOUSE. 

fluence  on  the  state  of  feeling  in  Princeton.  Other  por- 
tions of  the  State  also  caught  the  spirit  of  discontent. 
As  the  time  approached  for  the  sitting  of  the  Sessions, 
whose  jurisdiction  was  principally  over  criminal  offences, 
and  its  powers  exercised  for  the  preservation  of  social 
order,  no  opposition  had  been  anticipated,  and  conse- 
quently no  defensive  preparations  on  the  part  of  the 
government  had  been  made.  In  the  meantime,  however, 
the  disaffected  had  been  active  in  their  preparations  to 
interrupt  the  Sessions  on  the  21st  of  November  ;  and  on 
that  day  Capt.  Abraham  Gale,  of  this  town,  entered  the 
north  part  of  Worcester  with  about  sixty  armed  men. — 
The  day  following  their  numbers  were  augmented  to 
more  than  two  hundred,  mostly  from  Shrewsbury  and 
Hubbardston.  A  petition  was  presented  to  the  Court, 
at  the  United  States  Arms'  Tavern,  by  a  committee 
chosen  for  that  purpose,  for  their  adjournment  until  a 
new  election  of  representatives  to  the  General  Court. — 
The  petition,  however,  was  not  entertained. 

The  men  under  Capt.  Gale  then  took  posession  of  the 
ground  around  the  Court  House,  which  they  guarded  in 
a  martial  form  ;  and  sentinels  were  posted  along  the 
front  of  the  building.  "  When  the  Justices  approached, 
the  armed  men  made  way,  and  they  passed  through  the 
opening  ranks  to  the  steps.  There,  triple  rows  of  bayo- 
nets presented  to  their  breasts,  opposed  further  advance. 
The  Sheriff,  Col.  William  Greenleaf,  of  Lancaster,  ad- 
dressed the  assembled  crowd,  stating  the  danger  to  them- 
selves and  the  public  from  their  lawless  measures. — 
Reasoning  and  warning  were  ineffectual,  and  the  proc- 
lamation in  the  riot  act  was  read  for  their  dispersion. — 
Amid  the  grave  solemnity  of  the  scene,  some  incidents 
were   interposed    of  lighter   character.     Col.  Greenleaf 


PREPARATIONS  OF  GOVERNMENT.  59 

remarked,  with  great  severity,  on  the  conduct  of  the 
armed  party  around  him.  One  of  the  leaders  replied, 
they  sought  relief  from  grievances ;  that  among  the 
most  intolerable  of  them  was  the  Sheriff  himself;  and 
next  to  his  person  were  his  fees,  which  were  exhorbitant 
and  excessive,  particularly  on  criminal  executions.  'If 
you  consider  fees  for  executions  oppressive,'  replied  the 
Sheriff,  irritated  by  the  attack,  '  you  need  not  wait  long 
for  redress  ;  for  I  will  hang  you  all,  Gentlemen,  for  noth- 
ing, with  the  greatest  pleasure.'  Some  hand  among  the 
crowd,  which  pressed  close,  placed  a  pine  branch  on  his 
hat,  and  the  county  officer  retired,  with  the  Justices,  dec- 
orated with  the  evergreen  badge  of  rebellion.  The 
clerk  entered  on  his  records,  that  the  Court  was  pre- 
vented from  being  held  by  an  armed  force,  the  only  no- 
tice contained  on  their  pages  that  our  soil  has  ever  been 
dishonored  by  resistance  of  the  laws." 

To  this  period  government  had  resorted  only  to  leni- 
ent measures,  hoping  that  these  might  have  been  suffi- 
cient to  have  induced  her  revolted  subjects  to  lay  down 
the  arms  assumed  under  strong  excitement,  and  that  re- 
viving older  would  rise  from  the  confusion.  But  the 
insurgents,  animated  with  their  temporary  success,  and 
mistaking  the  mildness  of  forbearance  for  weakness,  or 
fear,  had  extended  their  purposes  from  present  relief  to 
permanent  change.  In  their  early  movements  they  pro- 
fessed to  have  but  one  object  in  view, — to  stop  the  flood 
of  executions  which  wasted  their  property  and  made 
their  homes  desolate.  Consequently,  a  large  portion  of 
the  community,  though  they  condemned  the  measures 
resorted  to  by  the  actors  in  the  scenes  we  have  describ- 
ed, sympathized  in  their  sufferings,   and  therefore  they 


60  THE    INSURGENTS. 

were  disposed  to  consider  the  offences  venial.  But  on 
this  renewal  of  the  21st  of  November,  of  opposition  to 
the  administration  of  justice,  the  sympathizers  with  the 
insurgents,  were  materially  lessened.  Defiance  of  the 
authority  of  the  Commonwealth  could  no  longer  be  tol- 
erated, without  demolishing  her  institutions. 

The  crisis  had  fully  arrived  when  government  was 
compelled  to  appeal  to  the  sword  for  preservation,  even 
though  its  destroying  edge,  turned  on  the  citizen,  might 
be  crimsoned  with  civil  slaughter.  "  Information  was 
communicated  to  the  chief  magistrate  of  the  extensive 
levies  of  troops  for  the  suppression  of  the  judiciary,  and 
the  coercion  of  the  legislature.  Great  preparations  were 
being  made  to  prevent  the  session  of  the  Court  of  Com- 
monPleas,  in  Worcester,  in  December  following."  The 
Governor*  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  his  council, 
in  the  meantime  had  determined  to  adopt  vigorous 
measures  to  restrain  the  Regulators.  Orders  were  dis- 
patched to  Maj.  General  Warren,  to  call  out  the  militia 
of  division,  and  five  regiments  were  directed  to  hold 
themselves  in  readiness  to  march  without  a  moment's 
delay.  But  in  this  hour  of  utmost  need,  the  troops 
shared  in  the  disaffection,  and  the  Sheriff  reported  that 
it  was  out  of  his  power  to  muster  a  sufficient  force.  The 
first  instructions  were  therefore  revoked.  And  it  was 
resolved  to  make  a  desperate  effort  to  raise  an  army 
whose  power  might  effectually  crush  all  resistance.  At 
the  same  time,  the  Judges  were  instructed  to  adjourn  the 
Court  until  the  23rd  of  January  following,  at  which 
time  it  was  confidently  expected  that  the  contemplated 
arrangements,  could  be  matured  to  terminate  the  unhap- 
py agitation,  and  disturbances. 

*  Gov.  Bowdoin. 


DANIEL    SHAYS.  61 

"  The  insurgents,  unapprised  of  the  change  of  oper- 
ations, be^an  to  concentrate  their  whole  strength  to  in- 
terrupt  the  Courts  at  Worcester  and  Concord.  They 
had  fixed  on  Shrewsbury  as  the  place  of  rendezvous. — 
On  the  29th  of  November,  a  party  of  forty  from  Barre, 
Spencer,  and  Leicester,  joined  Capt.  Wheeler,  who  had 
established  his  head  quarters  in  that  town  during  the 
preceding  week  and  succeeded  in  enlisting  about  thirty 
men.  Daniel  Shays,  the  reputed  commander-in-chief, 
and  nominal  head  of  the  rebellion,  made  his  first  public 
appearance  in  the  County*  soon  after,  with  troops  from 
Hampshire.  Reinforcements  came  in,  till  the  number 
at  the  post  exceeded  four  hundred.  Sentinels  stopped 
and  examined  travelers,  and  patrols  were  sent  out  to- 
wards Concord,  Cambridge,  and  Worcester.  On 
Thursday,  Nov.  39,  information  was  received  that  the 
Light  Horse,  under  Col.  Hitchborn,  had  captured  Shat- 
tuck,  Parker  and  Paige,  and  that  a  detachment  of  cavalry 
was  marching  against  themselves  This  intelligence 
disconcerted  their  arrangements  for  an  expedition  into 
Middlesex,  and  they  retreated,  in  great  alarm  to  Hol- 
den."  As  the  Light  Horse  retired,  it  was  discovered 
that  they  did  not  exceed  twenty.  Learning  this  fact, 
nearly  one  hundred  of  Shay's  men  rallied,  and  pursued 
their  foe  whose  velocity  of  movement  was  such  that  it 
left  no  cause  to  fear  they  could  be  brought  in  conflict. 

On  arriving  at  Shrewsbury  consultation  was  held  as 
to  the  expediency  of  marching  to  Worcester,  and  take 
•possession  of  the  ground  around  the  Court  House  for 
an  encampment.  It  was  however  considered,  in  view 
cf  their  being  destitute  of  clothing,  food,  and  money, 
impracticable  to  maintain  themselves  there,  and  en  Sat- 

*  Worcester  County. 
G* 


62      INSURGENTS  OCCUPY  THE  COURT  HOUSE. 

urday  they  marched  to  one  of  the  neighboring  towns, 
and  went  into  quarters  with  some  that  sympathized 
with  them  in  their  movements.  Shays  himself,  with  his 
men,  retired  to  the  barracks  in  Rutland,  leaving  orders 
for  the  different  detachments  to  assemble  in  Worcester 
on  Monday  following. 

On  Sunday  evening,  a  body  of  troops  entered  Wor- 
cester, under  the  command  of  Captains  Abraham  Gale 
of  this  town,  and  Wheeler  of  Hubbardston,and  others. 
Halting  before  the  Court  House,  they  placed  a  strong 
guard  around  the  building,  and  posted  sentinels  on  all 
the  streets  and  avenues  of  the  town.  Those  who  were 
not  on  duty,  having  obtained  the  keyes  by  some  means, 
entered  the  Court  House,  and  rolling  themselves  in  their 
blankets,  rested  on  their  arms  on  the  floor  of  the  Court 
room.  The  day  following  the  military  strength  of  Wor- 
cester rallied  under  Capt.  Joel  Howe  to  the  support  of 
government.  Fortunately,  however,  the  insurgents  were 
not  prepared  to  stain  their  cause  by  civil  war.  l<  As  the 
evening  closed  in,  one  of  the  most  furious  snow  storms 
of  a  severe  winter  commenced.  One  division  of  the  in- 
surgents occupied  the  Court  House;  another  sought 
shelter  at  the  Hancock  Arms.  The  sentinels,  chilled 
by  the  tempest,  and  imagining  themselves  secured  by  its 
violence  from  attack,  joined  their  comrades  around  the 
fire  of  the  guard  room."  The  increasing  fury  of  the 
storm,  and  the  almost  impassable  condition  of  the  road 
did  not  prevent  the  arrival  of  many  from  different  towns 
in  the  vicinity  of  Worcester,  on  Tuesday,  augmenting 
the  numerical  force  of  the  discontented  subjects  of  gov- 
ernment to  about  five  hundred.  The  Court  of  Common 
Pleas  was  opened  according  to  adjournment  at  the  Sun 
Tavern.     But  in    conformity    with   the    instructions   of 


CONSULTATION    OF    THE    INSURGENTS.  63 

Gov.  Bowdoin  and  the  Council,  it  adjourned,  without  at- 
tempting to  transact  business,  to  the  23rd  of  January, 
1787. 

"  On  Tuesday  evening,  a  council  of  war  was  convened, 
and  it  was  seriously  determined  to  march  to  Boston,  and 
effect  the  liberation  of  the  State  prisoners,  as  soon  as 
sufficient  strength  could  be  collected.  In  anticipation 
of  attack,  the  Governor  gathered  the  means  of  defence 
around  the  metropolis.  Guards  were  mounted  at  the 
prison  and  at  the  entrances  of  the  city  ;  alarm  posts  were 
assigned,  and  Major  General  Brooks  held  the  militia  of 
Middlesex  contiguous  to  the  road  in  readiness  for  action, 
and  watched  the  force  at  Worcester." 

On  Wednesday,  Dec.  6,  Shays  and  his  aid,  mounted 
on  white  horses  entered  Worcester.  About  800  troops 
formed  the  army  of  the  insurgents.  In  this  force  were 
several  soldiers  from  Princeton.  The  following  day, 
Thursday,  was  spent  by  committees  from  several  towns 
in  the  county,  with  Shays  and  his  officers,  in  consulting 
as  to  their  future  operations.  Their  deliberations  were 
exceedingly  perplexing  and  contradictory.  The  weather 
had  been  so  inclement,  that  large  parties  that  were  ex- 
pected from  Berkshire  and  Hampshire  were  prevented 
from  arriving.  It  was  finally  resolved  in  view  of  the  im- 
possibility of  retaining  the  soldiers  who  had  assembled 
without  subsistence  or  stores,  to  abandon  the  contempla- 
ted attack  on  Boston,  and  more  pacific  measures  were 
adopted.  A  petition  was  prepared  for  circulation,  re- 
monstrating against  the  suspension  of  the  habeas  cor- 
pus ;  requesting  the  pardon  and  release  of  the  prison- 
ers— a  new  act  of  amnesty  ;  and  the  adjournment  of 
courts  until  the  session  of  the  new  Legislature  in  May  ; 
and  expressing  their  willingness  to  lay  down  their  arms 


64       CONSULTATION  OF  THE  INSURGENTS. 

on  compliance  with  these  demands.  The  following  day 
was  also  spent  in  consultation.  Being  apprised  that  pub- 
lic sentiment  was  setting  against  them  with  strong  reac- 
tion, letters  were  communicated  to  each  town  of  Worces- 
ter County,  soliciting  the  citizens  to  unite  in  their  peti- 
tions. 

On  Saturday,  about  12  o'clock  M.,  the  insurgents  in 
Worcester  were  dismissed,  and  as  another  snow  storm 
had  commenced  early  in  the  morning,  they  were  com- 
pelled to  wade  through  the  drifting  snows  on  their  home- 
ward march.  "The  condition,"  says  Lincoln,  in  his 
History  of  Worcester,  "  of  these  deluded  men  during 
their  stay  here,  was  such  as  to  excite  compassion  rather 
than  fear.  Destitute  of  almost  every  necessary  of  life, 
in  an  inclement  season,  without  money  to  purchase  the 
food  which  their  friends  could  not  supply,  unwelcome 
guests  in  the  quarters  they  occupied,  pride  restrained 
the  exposure  of  their  wants.  Many  must  have  endured 
the  gnawings  of  hunger  in  our  streets  ;  yet  standing  with 
arms  in  their  hands,  enduring  privations  in  the  midst  of 
plenty,  they  took  nothing  by  force,  and  they  passed  on 
no  man's  rights  by  violence  ;  some  declared  they  had  not 
tasted  bread  for  twenty  four  hours  ;  all  who  made  known 
their  situation,  were  relieved  by  our  citizens  with  liberal 

charity. 

The  forlorn  condition  of  the  insurgents  was  deepened 

by  the  distresses  of  their  retreat.     Their  course  was  amid 

the   wildest  revelry  of    storm  and  wind,  in  a  night  of 

intense  cold.     Some  were  frozen  to  death  by  the  way  : — 

others  exhausted  with  struggling  through  the  deep  and 

drifted  snow,  sank  down,  and  would  have  perished  but 

for  the  aid  of  their  stouter  comrades  ;  when  relief  was 

sought  among  the  farm  houses,  every  .door  was  opened 


RETREAT  OF  THE  INSURGENTS.  65 

at  the  call  of  misery,  and  the  wrongs  done  by  the  rebel 
were  forgotten  in  the  sufferings  of  him  who  claimed  hos- 
pitality as  a  stranger." 

Shays  conducted  the  remnant  of  his  forces  to  Spring- 
field, and  on  the  26th  of  December  interrupted  the  Court 
of  Common  Pleas  in  that  town.  Intelligence  being  re- 
oeived  of  active  exertions  to  prevent  the  session  at  Wor- 
cester on  the  23d  of  January,  vigorous  measures  were 
adopted  to  sustain  the  judiciary.  The  Governor  called 
upon  the  militia  of  Boston  and  vicinity  to  march  under 
the  command  of  General  Benjamin  Lincoln,  and  to  force 
the  insurgents  to  surrender.  An  army  of  more  than 
5000  men  was  raised  for  thirty  days. 

On  the  21st  of  January,  Gen.  Lincoln  with  his  force 
took  up  their  line  of  march  from  Roxbury,  and  arrived 
at  Worcester  thfe  following  day.  Detachments  of  in- 
surgents were  collected  in  Princeton  and  some  of  the 
neighboring  towns,  but,  intimidated  by  the  military,  did 
not  attempt  to  enter  Worcester,  and  the  courts  proceed- 
ed, without  being  resisted.  On  the  25th  of  January, 
Gen.  Lincoln  hastened  to  Springfield  for  the  relief  of 
Shepard  and  of  the  arsenal  at  that  place,  invested  by 
Shays  and  his  force,  Major  General  Warner  being  left  at 
Worcester  in  command,  with  a  regiment  of  infantry  and 
a  corps  of  artillery. 

il  Information  having  been  given  that  a  body  of  about 
two  hundred  insurgents  had  assembled  at  New  Brain- 
tree,  intercepting  travelers  and  insulting  the  friends  of 
government,  twenty  horsemen,  supported  by  about  150 
infantry  in  sleighs,  were  sent  out,  on  the  night  of  the  2d 
of  February,  to  capture  or  disperse  the  disaffected.  Up- 
on approaching  the  place  of  their  destination,  the  caval- 
ry were  ordered  to  advance  at  full  speed  to  surprise  the 


C)6  TEMINATION    OP    THE    REBELLION. 

enemy.  The  insurgents,  apprised  of  the  expedition,  had 
abandoned  their  quarters,  at  the  house  of  Micah  Hamil- 
ton, and  taken  post  behind  the  walls  of  the  roadside,  and 
having  fired  a  volley  of  musketry  upon  the  detatchment, 
fled  to  the  woods  ;  Mr.  Jonathan  Rice  of  Worcester,  a 
Deputy  Sheriff,  was  shot  through  the  arm  and  hand-; 
Doct.  David  Young  was  severely  wounded  in  the  knee  ; 
the  bridle  rein  of  Theopilus  Wheeler,  Esq  ,  was  cut  by  a 
ball.  Without  halting,  the  soldiers  rapidly  pursued  their 
way  to  the  deserted  head  quarters,  where  they  liberated 
Messrs.  Samuel  Flagg,  and  John  Stanton,  of  Worcester, 
who  had  been  seized  the  day  previous  while  transacting 
private  business  at  Leicester.  Having  dispersed  those 
who  occupied  the  barracks  at  Rutland  the  next  day,  the 
companies  returned  with  four  prisoners." 

Shays  retired  to  Petersham,  where  hte  expected  to  con- 
centrate the  forces  of  expiring  rebellion  and  make  his 
final  stand.  But  the  spirit  animating  the  first  movements 
had  grown  cold,  and  Shays  with  his  soldiers  were  doubt- 
less sensible  that  the  cause  had  become  gloomy  and  hope- 
less. The  insurgents  dispersed  and  were  never  again 
collected  in  force.  How  many  of  the  citizens  of  Prince- 
ton, bore  arms  with  Shays,  we  are  unable  to  say.  At 
one  time  during  the  insurrection,  Princeton  assumed  the 
appearance  of  a  garrison  town.  The  citizens  answered 
to  the  frequent  challenges  of  military  guards  ;  the  travel- 
er was  admonished  to  slay  his  steps  by  the  voice  and 
bayonet  of  the  soldier.  Once  a  funeral  procession  was 
opposed  en  its  way  to  the  burial  ground.  Sentinels  were 
posted  near  the  house  of  Col.  Sargent.* 

The  rebellion  having  terminated,  the  infliction  of 
some    punishment    for  the    highest  political   crime  was 

*  Where  Major  Joseph  A.  Reed  now  resides. 


HENRY    GALE.  67 

deemed  advisable.  Several  of  those  who  had  been  in 
arms  against  the  government,  were  brought  to  trial  and 
convicted  of  treason,  and  sentenced  to  death.  Among 
that  number  was  Henry  Gale*  of  Princeton,  who  was 
sentenced  to  be  executed  on  the  23rd  of  June,  1787. — 
The  day  having  arrived  he  was  accordingly  led  out  to 
the  gallows,  erected  on  the  Common  at  Worcester,  with 
all  the  solemn  ceremony  of  such  exhibitions.  A  re- 
prieve was  however  read  to  him  while  on  the  gallows, 
and  subsequently  a  full  pardon  was  given.  The  clem 
ency  of  government  was  ultimately  extended  to  all  who 
had  been  involved  in  the  disaffection,  upon  taking  the 
oath  of  allegiance  to  the  Commonwealth,  after  some 
temporary  civil  disqualifications.  Peace  was  again  re- 
stored to  the  Commonwealth. f 

*  The  Court  assigned  as  Mr.  Gale's  counsel,  Levi  Lincoln,  sen.  and  James 

Sullivan. 

t  Free  use  has  been  made  of  Lincoln's  History  of  Worcester  in  the  notice 
of  Shay's  Rebellion. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Political  History — Adoption  of  the  National  Constitution — Funeral  Honors  to 
Washington — Embargo — Petitions  to  President  Jefferson,  and  to  the  Le- 
gislature of  Massachusetts — Opposition  to  the  War  with  England— Reso- 
lutions— First  Town  House — Benefactions  of  Mr.  Boylston — Adoption  of 
Amendments  to  the  State  Constitution— Part  of  No  Town  annexed — New 
Town  House — Proposed  Division  of  the  County — Incidents  in  Local 
History. 

We  have  arrived  to  that  period,  in  the  progress  of  our 
narrative,  in  which  the  events  of  the  past  are  very  close- 
ly connected  with  the  feelings  of  the  present.  Some 
particulars  of  the  history  of  the  last  sixty  years,  insula- 
ted from  dissensions  which  have  long  been   quieted  and 


68  POLITICAL    HISTORY. 

which  it  is  not  desirable  now  to  recall  to  recollection, 
are  scattered  through  the  space  remaining  to  be  travers- 
ed. During  the  political  controversies  which  for  many 
years  divided  public  opinion  in  the  United  States,  a  de- 
cided majority  of  the  inhabitants  of  Princeton  were  firm 
supporters  of  the  Federalists,  when  the  name  marked 
well-defined  distinctions  of  principles.  The  leading 
men  of  the  town  were  ardent  politicians,  and  there  were 
periods  of  excitement  when  diversity  of  sentiment  im- 
paired the  harmony  of  social  intercourse,  separated 
those  closely  allied  by  the  ties  of  kindred,  and  dissolved 
the  bonds  of  friendship.*  A  majority  of  the  inhabitants 
were  early  in  favor  of  a  protective  tariff.  This  is  evi- 
dent from  the  following  instructions  given  to  Hon.  Moses 
Gill,  representative  to  the  General  Court  in  1787. t 

"  That  you  use  your  influence,  that  the  Produce  and 
Manufactures  of  this  Commonwealth,  may  be  more  ef- 
fectually encouraged  by  laying  duties  on  those  of  for- 
eign countries,  and  granting  premiums  on  our  own, — 
and  that  foreign  superfluities  may  be  prohibited,  and  also 
the  exportation  of  wool  and  flax." 

Timothy  Fuller  was  chosen  to  represent  the  town  in 
a  Convention  holden  in  Boston,  in  1787,  when  the  pres- 
ent National  Constitution  was  proposed  for  adoption. — 
He  however  voted  against  it,  notwithstanding  a  majority 
of  the  town  were  in  favor  of  its  adoption. 

The  citizens  of  Princeton  joined  in  the  national  hon- 
ors paid  to  the  memory  of  Washington,  Feb.  22,  1800, 
the  anniversary  of  the  birth  of  the  father  of  his  country. 
A  great  concurse  of  inhabitants  assembled  in  the  church, 

*  Tradition  says  that  one  man  ordered  his  son  to  leave  his  house,  for  refus- 
ing to  vote  the  Whig  ticket. 

j  The  state  of  political  sentiment  will  he  sufficiently  indicated  by  the  list  of 
rotes  for  executive  officers  in  successive  year-?,  placed  in  the  appendix, 


EMBARGO.  69 

which  was  hung  with  black  and  with  emblems  of  mourn- 
ing. An  appropriate  eulogy  was  delivered  by  the  Rev. 
Joseph  Russell  on  the  virtues  of  the  departed  soldier, 
statesman  and  patriot. 

In  August,  1808,  the  Selectmen  of  Boston,  transmit- 
ted a  petition,  adopted  by  the  inhabitants  of  that  place, 
addressed  to  the  President  of  the  United  States,  praying 
the  suspension  of  the  Embargo  laws  ;  or,  if  doubt  ex- 
isted of  the  competency  of  the  Executive  for  affording 
relief  from  measures  that  pressed  heavily  on  commerce, 
requesting  that  Congress  might  be  convened  for  the  pur- 
pose of  taking  the  subject  into  consideration.  The  com- 
munication was  accompanied  with  an  invitation  to  call 
a  town  meeting  to  obtain  concurrence  in  the  sentiment 
expressed  in  the  petition,  from  the  capital.  The  muni- 
cipal officers  complied  with  the  proposition ;  and,  at  a 
meeting  of  the  citizens  on  the  5th  of  September,  a  com- 
mittee consisting  of  three  persons*  was  chosen,  and  in- 
structed to  prepare  and  submit  to  the  town  a  petition  in 
conformity  to  the  sentiments  expressed  by  the  citizens 
of  Boston.  At  an  adjournment  of  the  meeting  said 
committee  presented  the  following  petition,  which  was 
unanimously  adopted  : 

"  To  the  President  of  the  United  States  .♦" 

"  The  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Princeton,  in  the 
county  of  Worcester  and  Commonwealth  of  Massachu- 
setts, in  town  meeting  legally  assembled,  upon  the  fifth 
day  of  September,  180S,  beg  leave,  respectfully  to  rep- 
resent that  they  feel  themselves  deeply  interested  in 
whatever  tends  to  promote  and  secure  the  general  pros- 
perity of  the  United  States  ;  and  could  they  believe  that 

*  William  Dodd,  Dea.  Parker,  Capt.  Stratton. 


70  PETITION    TO   THE    PRESIDENT. 

the  existing  laws  recently  enacted  restraining  the  com- 
mercial enterprize  of  our  country  were  inevitably  neces- 
sary to  affect  this  desirable  object,  they  would  cheerful- 
ly submit  to  the  unparalleled  losses  and  inconveniences 
which  result  from  the  enforcement  of  them ;  but  we 
would  humbly  suggest,  that  however  flattering  in  expec- 
tation the  effects  of  their  restraints  may  have  been,  yet 
such  has  been  our  distresses,  such  our  embarrassments, 
and  so  great  and  unexpected  has  been  the  change  in 
Europe,  that  nothing  salutary  can  be  expected  from  their 
longer  continuance — considering  the  present  crisis  the 
most  favorable  opportunity  for  obtaining  a  remuneration 
for  the  losses  we  have  already  sustained,  and  if  properly 
improved,  for  rescuing  us  from  further  distress  and  em- 
barrassment, We  do  respectfully  pray  that  the  Embargo 
in  whole  or  in  part  may  be  suspended  according  to  the 
powers  vested  in  the  President  by  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States, — and  if  any  doubt  should  exist  of  the  com- 
petency of  those  powers,  we  would  humbly  request  that 
Congress  may  be  convened  as  early  as  possible  for  the 
purpose  of  taking  the  subject  into  their  consideration.'7 
This  petition  was  signed  by  the  Selectmen  of  the 
town,  and  forwarded  to  President  Jefferson.  In  Febru- 
ary, 1809,  a  committe*  was  elected  by  the  town  to  draft 
a  petition,  on  the  same  subject,  to  be  presented  to  the 
Legislature  of  Massachusetts  at  its  forthcoming  session. 
They  reported  the  following,  which  expressed  the  unan- 
imous sentiments  of  the  town  at  that  time : 

c<  To  the  Senate  and  the  Hon.  House  of  Representatives 
of  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts  now  in  session. 

"  We  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Princeton,  in  le- 

*  Ebenezer  Parker,  Joseph  Sargent,  Samuel  Stratton,  Artemas  Stow,  Epl; 
r:\rn  Wilson. 


PETITION    TO   THE    LEGISLATURE.  71 

gal  town  meeting  assembled  beg  leave  to  represent : — 
That  being  ardently  attached  to  the  civil  constitution 
under  which  an  indulgent  Providence  has  placed  us,  and 
feeling  alive  to  the  interests  and  prosperity  of  cur  be- 
loved country,  we  have  viewed  with  painful  anxiety  and 
alarm,  some  of  the  recent  measures  of  our  national  Gov- 
ernment. The  several  acts  passed  the  last  session  of 
Congress  laying  an  unlimited  embargo  upon  all  com- 
merce both  foreign  and  domestic,  appears  to  your  me- 
morialists fraught  with  ruin  to  our  country  and  not  jus- 
tified or  required  by  the  state  of  our  foreign  relations, 
so  far  as  they  have  been  made  known  to  the  public. 
We  did  indulge  the  hope  that  at  the  commencement  of 
the  present  session,  Congress  would  have  heard  the  nu- 
merous petitions  respectfully  addressed  to  them, — and 
also  finding  that  it  would  require  a  great  part  of  the  mil- 
itary force  of  the  country  to  enforce  those  oppressive 
laws  and  therefore  would  have  unanimously  repealed 
them.  But  with  extreme  regret  we  have  beheld  the  ma- 
jority in  both  Houses  of  Congress,  in  opposition  to  the 
most  powerful  arguments  and  remonstrances  of  old  .Rev- 
olutionary Patriots  and  experienced  Statesmen,  and  in- 
deed of  several  who  had  been  inwardly  led  to  favor  their 
system  at  the  last  session  not  only  persisting  in  their  for- 
mer measures,  but  enacting  laws  to  enforce  them,  which 
have  a  still  more  alarming  aspect, — particularly  the  law 
passed  on  the  9th  day  of  January  last  to  enforce  the  for- 
mer embargo  laws,  appears  to  us  contrary  to  the  spirit  if 
not  the  letter  of  the  Constitution,  inconsistent  with  the 
principles  of  a  Republican  Government,  and  calculated 
to  provoke  riot  and  insurrection  to  the  jeopardy  of  Na- 
tional existence.  Under  these  impressions  we  cannot 
look  forward  without  the   most  painful  anxiety.     Appre- 


72  WAR    WITH    ENGLAND. 

hending  from  the  past  that  our  feeble  voice  would  be 
disregarded  in  the  general  government,  and  reposing 
confidence  in  your  wisdom  and  zeal  for  the  public  good, 
and  it  is  with  pleasure  we  hear  the  resolves  of  the  Sen- 
ate of  this  state,  stating  *  that  a  suitable  remonstrance 
(will)  be  prepared  and  immediately  forwarded  to  the 
Congress  of  the  United  States  expressing  their  opinion, 
&/C./  Such  proceedings  will  receive  the  sanction  and 
approbation  of  your  memorialists,  or  any  other  measure 
your  prudence  and  patriotism  may  dictate  for  securing 
to  our  common  country  its  Constitution,  its  Liberty,  and 
its  Prosperity  ;  and  we  hereby  pledge  ourselves  to  sup- 
port ivith  our  lives  and  property  all  such  constitutional 
and  prudent  measures  for  the  attainment  of  these  im- 
portant objects,  as  your  wisdom  may  approve." 

On  the  Declaration  of  War  with  England,  in  1812, 
an  Act  of  Congress  authorized  the  President  to  require 
the  Executives  of  the  several  States  and  Territories,  to 
take  effectual  measures  to  arm,  organize,  and  hold  in 
readiness  to  march  at  a  minute's  warning,  their  respect- 
ive proportions  of  100,000  militia.  Massachusetts  was 
called  on  to  furnish  men  for  the  fortresses  on  the  mari- 
time frontier.  The  Governor,  however,  declined  com- 
plying with  the  requisitions,  on  the  ground  of  constitu- 
tional objections  ;  and  the  troops  of  the  State  were  not 
called  to  the  field  of  battle.  The  town  assembled  on 
the  10th  of  August  and  referred  the  subject  to  a  com- 
mittee,* who  presented  an  elaborate  report  at  the  ad- 
journment. After  commenting  on  the  violation  of  rights 
and  the  numerous  insults  and  injuries  this  country  had 
sustained,  for  a  series  of  years,   from  the  United    King- 

*  The  Committee  were  Rev.  James  Murdoch,  Capt.  Artemas   How,  Capt. 
Samuel  Stratton,  Dr.  Wilson,  Mr.  Bullock. 


RESOLUTIONS    ON    THE    WAR.  /  J 

doras  of  Great  Britain,  and  Ireland,  and  its  dependen- 
cies, they  state  their  objections  to  the  War,  and  the  sup- 
posed insufficiency  of  the  reasons  alleged. 

At  the  same  time  the  town  unanimously  adopted  the 
following  Preamble  and  Resolutions,  which  contain  the 
sentiments  expressed  in  the  Report  of  the  Committee  : — 

"  The  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Princeton  legally 
assembled  in  town  meeting,  deeply  and  sensibly  feeling 
the  effects  of  the  existing  and  pending  calamities  of  the 
present  crisis,  of  our  National  and  Foreign  relations  have 
with  every  other  class  of  citizens  of  a  free  Republic,  on 
this  as  well  as  on  all  important  occasions,  a  right  to  as- 
semble and  express,  without  fear  or  restraint,  our  opinions 
of  the  measures  of  the  General  as  welt  as  State  Govern- 
ment,— and  the  present  momentous  and  alarming  situa- 
tion of  our  Country,  demands  a  firm,  energetic  and  une- 
quivocal expression  of  our  feelings  : 

"  Resolved,  That  we  view  with  the  most  painful  ap- 
prehensions, the  late  Act  of  Congress,  declaring  war 
against  the  United  Kingdoms  of  Great  Britain,  Ireland 
and  their  dependencies  ;  and  the  threatening  prospect 
of  an  alliance  with  that  belligerent  whose  agressions  have 
been  so  enormous,  and  whose  depredations  were  first  and 
far  more  extensively  committed  on  our  neutral  rights. 

"  Resolved,  That  we  feel  deeply  sensible  of  our  ob- 
ligations to  maintain  and  support  with  patriotic  fidelity, 
the  laws  enacted  by  a  Government  elected  by  the  peo- 
ple, but  from  any  disclosures  which  our  government 
have  made,  the  present  crisis  does  not  in  our  opinion, 
sanction  an  expedient  of  such  distressing  tendency. 

"  Resolved,  That  we  have  viewed  with    deep  regret 
and  concern,  the  ruinuous  situation  of  our  commerce,  so 
7* 


74  RESOLUTIONS    ON    THE    WAR. 

inseparably  connected  with  our  agricultural  and  mechan- 
ical interests  ;  and  as  the  anticipation  of  some  speedy 
alleviation  has  been  the  ground  of  our  acquiescence  for 
years,  in  the  many  restrictions  to  which  this  vital  interest 
of  the  Nation  has  been  subject,  we  feel  compelled,  while 
we  view  the  fatal  blow  now  struck,  to  express  our  entire 
disapprobation  and  abhorrence  of  the  measure. 

"  Resolved,  That  we  sympathise  with  that  portion  of 
our  fellow  citizens  who  are  suffering  under  the  acts  of 
our  own  government,  prohibiting  them  from  collecting 
and  rescuing  their  property  from  foreign  ports,  where  it 
is  now  liable  to  confiscation,  and  abhor  that  fatal  policy, 
which  led  the  government,  notwithstanding  repeated  and 
humble  supplications  from  the  suffering  citizens,  perti- 
naciously to  continue  their  restrictions,  regardless  of  the 
destructive  tendency  of  such  measures  not  only  to  the 
unhappy  individuals,  but  to  the  commercial  interests  of 
the  Country  and  the  subversion  of  the  future  confidence 
of  commercial  men  in  the  government. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  measures  which  have  been 
adopted  by  our  administration,  are  repugnant  to  our 
feelings,  injurious  to  our  interests,  and  hopeless  in  re- 
sult to  our  country,  and  that  we  will  use  all  honorable 
means  afforded  by  our  elective  franchise  to  produce  a 
change  of  rulers,  as  the  only  means  to  produce  a  radical 
chancre  of  measures. 

"  Resolved,  That  we  admire  and  reverence  that  wise 
and  excellent  Constitution  of  our  country,  purchased  and 
established  with  so  much  suffering  and  blood, — and  with 
every  thing  dear  to  us,  as  men  and  citizens  we  will  de- 
fend our  Constitution  and  country  against  every  hostile 
attempt  to  invade  the  principles  of  the  one,  or  the  rights 
and  territories  of  the  other. 


BENEFACTIONS    OF    MR.    BOYLSTON.  75 

u  Resolved,  That  we  highly  approve  of  the  wise,  dig- 
nified and  patriotic  conduct  of  the  Governor  and  House 
of  Representatives  of  this  Commonwealth,  relative  to  the 
present  alarming  crisis  of  our  National  affairs,  and  that 
we  will  use  our  exertions  to  give  effect  to  their  recom- 
mendations, and  to  obtain  for  such  statesmen  and  patriots 
the  universal  confidence  and  support  of  our  countrymen.'5 

These  Resolves  were  directed  to  be  signed  by  the 
Moderator  and  attested  by  the  Town  Clerk,  entered  on 
record,  and  a  copy  furnished  for  publication,  in  some  of 
the  public  journals. 

Previous  to  1816  there  was  no  Town  House  in  Prince- 
ton. On  the  13th  day  of  August  of  that  year,  it  was  vo- 
ted to  call  the  Central  School  House,  Town  House. — 
During  the  long  period  intervening  between  1759,  when 
Princeton  wras  incorporated  as  a  District,  and  1816,  the 
citizens  met  to  transact  their  municipal  business,  first  in 
a  dwelling  house,  then  in  a  schoolhouse,  and  subsequent- 
ly in  the  meeting  house. 

In  1818,  Ward  Nicholas  Boylston,  Esq.,  devised  to 
the  town  of  Princeton,  two  lots  of  land  as  a  parsonage 
estate,  on  the  condition  that  "  the  same  doctrines  and 
principles  of  faith  and  practice  be  preached  as  are  now 
preached  and  taught  by  their  present  Pastor."*  In  case 
they  were  destitute  of  a  settled  ministry  for  six  months, 
the  rents  or  produce  of  said  estate  was  to  go  to  the  wid- 
ow and  children  of  the  deceased  Pastor,  if  there  were 
any;  if  the  pulpit  was  vacated  a  year  the  same  to  be 
paid  to  the  Selectmen  of  the  town  of  West  Boylston. 
In  addition  to  this,  8500  were  given  to  them  to  lie  as  an 
accumulating  fund,  under    certain    conditions,    until  it 

*  Rev.  Samuel  Clark,  Unitarian  in  sentiment. 


76  AMENDMENTS    TO    THE    CONSTITUTION. 

should  be  sufficient  to  build  "  a  handsome  and  suitable 
Hall,  of  one  story  high  for  the  use  of  the  inhabitants  to 
transact  the  municipal  concerns  of  the  town  in  their  cor- 
porate capacity,  or  for  the  accommodation  of  the  Con- 
gregational Church,  when  the  severity  of  the  season  may 
make  it  more  convenient  for  them."  By  his  last  will  he 
also  left  them  at  his  death,  $500,  the  interest  of  which, 
after  a  certain  amount  is  accumulated,  is  to  be  applied 
to  the  support  of  Congregational  preaching.  Also  $500 
after  a  certain  time,  is  to  be  applied  to  the  support  of 
poor  widows  and  orphans.  All  of  the  above  benefactions 
were  accepted  by  the  town.* 

Ward  Nicholas  Boylston,  Esq.,  was  elected  Oct.  0, 
1820,  Delegate  to  the  Convention  which  was  convened 
at  Boston  in  November,  of  that  year,  for  the  amendment 
of  the  State  Constitution.  Of  the  articles  adopted  by 
this  body,  Nov.  15,  and  submitted  to  the  people,  nine 
were  approved  and  adopted  April  9,  1821.  The  inhabi- 
tants of  Princeton  concurred  in  the  adoption  of  the  Con- 
stitution as  amended. 

The  Amendment  numbered  as  the  10th  in  the  Re- 
vised Statutes,  changing  the  commencement  of  the  po- 
litical year  from  the  last  Wednesday  of  May,  to  the  first 
Wednesday  of  January,  adopted  by  the  Legislature  of 
1829-30  and  1830-31,  was  accepted  by  the  people,  May 
11, 1831.    The  vote  of  Princeton  stood  54  for,  23  against. 

The  Amendment  numbered  eleven  in  the  volume  re- 
ferred to,  modifying  and  altering  the  third  article  of  the 
Bill  of  Rights,  having  passed  the  Legislatures  of  1832 
and  1833,  was  accepted  by  the  citizens  Nov.  11,  1833 
Eighty-five  votes  were  given  by  the  inhabitants  of  Prince- 
ton in  the  affirmative,  only  one  in  the  negative. 

*  These  benefactions  are  now  supposed,  however,  to  have  been  forfeited  by 
the  town. 


ANNEXATION  OF  A  PART  OF  NO  TOWN.      77 


Between  Princeton,  Westminster,  the  south  west  cor- 
ner of  Leominster,  and  the  northwest  corner  of  Sterling, 
a  tract  of  land  intervened,  called  No  Town,  beyond 
the  jurisdiction  of  either  municipality.  The  owners  and 
inhabitants  of  this  territory,  or  a  part  of  it,  petitioned  to 
be  annexed  to  Princeton.  The  petitioners  and  their 
estates  were  united  to  this  town  in  1838,  by  the  following 
Act  of  the  General  Court  : — 

"An  act  to  annex  a  part   of  No  Town  to  the  town   of 
Princeton. 

"  Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives in  General  Court  assembled,  and  by  the  au- 
thority of  the  same  as  follows  : 

"  Sec.  1.  All  that  part  of  the  unincorporated  lands  of 
No  Town,  in  the  County  of  Worcester,  which  is  inclu- 
ded within  the  following;  bounds,  viz :  beginningr  at  a 
stake  and  stones,  on  the  line  between  No  Town  and 
Leominster,  it  being  the  northeast  corner  of  a  lot  of  land 
in  No  Town,  belonging  to  John  Whitney,  running  on 
said  line  south  thirty-three  degrees  west,  two  hundred 
and  ninety-seven  rods,  to  a  stone  monument,  it  being  the 
southeast  corner  of  No  Town,  the  southwest  corner  of 
Leominster,  the  northwest  corner  of  Sterling,  and  the 
northeast  corner  of  Princeton  ;  thence  north,  fifty-two 
degrees  and  thirty  minutes  west,  on  the  line  between 
No  Town  and  Princeton,  eight  hundred  and  thirty  rodsi 
to  a  stone  monument  in  the  line  of  the  town  of  West- 
minster, it  being  the  southwest  corner  of  No  Town,  and 
the  northwest  corner  of  Princeton  ;  thence  north,  fifty- 
two  degrees  and  thirty  minutes  east,  on  the  line  between 
No  Town  and  Westminster,  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
four  rods,  to  a  large  rock,  in  an  angle    in  the  last  men- 


78  NEW   TOWN    HOUSE. 

tioned  line  ;  thence  south  sixty-eight  degrees  and  twelve 
minutes  east  forty-four  rods,  to  a  stake  and  stones,  by 
land  of  Mr.  Osgood  ;  thence  north,  fifty-four  degrees  and 
fifteen  minutes  east,  on  the  line  of  said  Osgoods'  land, 
eighty-eight  rods  to  a  stake  and  stones,  at  the  northwest 
corner  of  Mr.  Hadley's  land  ;  thence  south,  seventy  de- 
grees and  twenty-five  minutes  east,  on  the  north  line  of 
said  Hadley's  land,  one  hundred  and  twenty-six  rods,  to 
a  stake  and  stones  on  land  of  Charles  Grout  ;  thence 
south  seventeen  degrees  and  twenty  minutes  east,  on  the 
line  between  said  Hadley's  and  Grout's  land,  seventy 
rods  and  a  half,  to  a  stake  and  stones  on  an  angle  in 
said  line  ;  thence  south  fifty  degrees  and  thirty  minutes 
east,  through  land  of  said  Hadley  and  others  five  hundred 
rods,  to  the  place  of  beginning, — is  hereby  annexed  to 
and  made  a  part  of  the  town  of  Princeton,  in  said  County. 

"  Sec.  2.  This  act  shall  take  effect  from  and  after  its 
passage. 

"  Approved  by  the  Governor,  April  4,  1838." 

The  town  voted  at  their  annual  meeting  in  March, 
1842,  to  erect  a  new  Town  House  during  the  en- 
suing summer  and  autumn  ;  and  that  the  donation  of 
of  the  late  Ward  Nicholas  Boylston,  Esq.,  be  appropria- 
ted for  the  Building  of  said  house  ;  and  that  it  be  one 
story  high,  64  feet  long,  and  40  feet  wide. 

After  the  completion  of  said  house  it  was  unanimous- 
ly voted  to  call  it  Boylston  Hall,  to  perpetuate  the  name 
and  memory  of  the  late  Ward  Nicholas  Boylston,  Esq., 
in  consideration  of  the  liberal  donation  he  made  to  the 
town.  A  prayer  was  offered,  and  an  appropriate  address 
delivered  at  the  dedication,  Feb.  13,  1843,  by  Rev.  Wil- 
lard    M.  Harding.     The    most   ancient   records  of  the 


DIVISION    OF    THE    COUNTY.  79 

town  were  then  exhibited  by  the  Town  Clerk,  after  which 
the  inhabitants  proceeded  to  the  transaction  of  their  mu- 
nicipal business. 

At  three  several  times  since  the  incorporation  of 
Princeton,  the  division  of  Worcester  County  has  been 
submitted  for  the  action  of  the  towns  proposed  to  be  set 
off  for  a  new  County. 

A  memorial  of  the  delegates  of  Templeton,  Barre,  Pe- 
tersham, Athol,  Winchendon,  Hubbardston,  Adams, 
Gerry,  Gardner,  Royalston,  and  Warwick,  at  the  Janu- 
ary session  of  the  Legislature  in  1798,  prayed  for  the 
incorporation  of  those  towns  into  a  new  county.  The 
people  in  Princeton  voted  in  February  unanimously,  that 
it  was  inexpedient  to  divide  Worcester  into  two  distinct 
counties. 

At  the  annual  meetings  in  April,  1828,  the  question 
was  submitted,  by  the  Legislature,  to  the  people  of  Wor- 
cester and  Middlesex,  of  a  new  County  to  be  formed  of 
the  towns  of  Royalston,  Winchendon,  Athol,  Temple- 
ton,  Gardner,  Westminster,  Ashburnham,  Fitchburg, 
Leominster,  Lunenburg,  Princeton,  Hubbardston,  Phil- 
lipston,  Lancaster,  Bolton,  and  Harvard,  from  the  Coun- 
ty of  Worcester,  and  Groton,  Shirley,  Pepperell,  Ashby, 
and  Townsend,  from  the  County  of  Middlesex,  as  prayed 
for  in  a  Petition  bearing  the  name  of  Ivers  Jewett  at  the 
head.  The  decision  in  Princeton  was  in  the  negative 
by  a  great  majority  of  the  voters. 

In  1851,  a  petition  of  Alva  Crocker  and  others  was 
presented  to  the  General  Court,  praying  for  the  erection 
of  a  new  County.  Templeton,  Gardner,  Phillipston, 
Athol,  Petersham,  Royalston,  Hubbardston,  Westmin- 
ster, Princeton,  Ashburnham,  Fitchburg,  Leominster, 
Sterling,  Lunenburg,  Bolton,  Harvard,  Lancaster,  Win- 


80  INCIDENTS    IN    LOCAL    HISTORY. 

chendon,  were  to  be  separated  from  the  County  of 
Worcester,  and  Ashby,  Townsend,  Pepperell,  Groton, 
and  Shirley,  from  Middlesex.  Orders  of  notice  were 
issued,  but  the  proposition  shared  the  fate  of  similar  pro- 
jects to  diminish  the  integrity  of  our  territory.  Sixty- 
nine  votes  were  given  by  the  inhabitants  of  Princeton  in 
the  negative  ,  and  eleven  in  the  affirmative,  when  the 
question  was  submitted  to  the  town. 

The  faithful  review  of  the  incidents  of  local  history 
from  the  adoption  of  the  Federal  Constitution,  embracing 
the  struggles  of  the  two  great  parties  dividing  the  com- 
munity, executed  without  partiality  and  in  the  spirit  of 
independence,  would  doubtless  be  both  useful  and  inter- 
esting. But  the  period  has  not  yet  arrived  when  the  de- 
tails of  the  contest,  agitating  every  village,  town  and 
city  of  the  country,  and  kindling  strife,  in  the  relations 
of  social  life,  can  be  recorded  with  freedom  and  frank- 
ness. The  embers  of  political  controversy,  long  since 
covered  over,  have  not  been  so  extinguished,  that  the 
historian  may  tread  with  safety  over  the  spot  where  they 
once  glowed.  The  sons  may  not  hope  to  render  unbi- 
ased judgment  of  the  measures  of  the  fathers,  in  these 
scenes  of  intense  excitement.  When  the  present  gene- 
ration shall  have  passed  away,  and  the  heated  passions 
and  irritation  of  the  actors  shall  exist  only  in  memory, 
the  history  may  be  narrated  with  fidelity,  without  fear 
that  inherited  partiality  or  prejudice  may  lend  undue  col- 
oring to  the  picture  delineated. 

Now  the  feuds  and  animosities  of  the  past  have  sub- 
sided it  excites  surprise,  that  the  surface  which  at  the 
present  is  so  tranquil,  should  have  been  agitated  by 
commotions  so  angry  as  were  those  which  once  disturbed 
its  tranquil  repose. 


ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Introductory  Remarks — First  Preaching  in  Town— Attempts  to  erect  a  Meet- 
ing House — Committee  to  measure  the  District — Building  of  Meeting  House 
— Assignment  of  Places  in  Church — Church  Music — Church  Covenant— 
Unsuccessful  attempt  to  settle  a  Minister — Call  to  Mr  Fuller — His  Ordina- 
tion— Covenant  of  Admission — First  Deacons  and  Present  to  the  Church — 
Complaints  against  Mr.  Fuller — His  Reply — Ecclesiastical  Council — Mr. 
Fuller's  Dismission — Suit  against  Town — Biographical  Notice  of  Mr, 
Fuller. 

The  Ecclesiastical  History  of  Princeton  is  of  peculiar 
interest,  and  remarkable  for  striking  incidents.  Could 
tiie  existence  of  religious  difficulties,  which  have  occa- 
sioned fixed  differences  of  sentiment,  diversity  of  taste 
and  discordant  and  conflicting  opinions,  interposing  in- 
superable obstacles  to  union,  be  effaced  from  memory, 
it  would  be  wanton  outrage  to  recall  from  oblivion  the 
tale  of  misfortune  and  dishonor.  But  those  events  can- 
not be  forgotten  ;  they  have  floated  down  in  tradition  : 
they  are  recounted  by  the  domestic  fireside  ;  they  are 
inscribed  on  roll  and  record  of  the  archives  of  the  Church 
and  Town.  There  is  no  discretion  entrusted  to  the  his- 
torian to  select  among  the  events  of  the  past.  It  is  his 
task  to  relate  with  fidelity  the  events  of  the  times  he  re- 
views. By  changing  even  slight  features,  the  resem- 
blance of  the  picture  would  be  destroyed.  The  annais 
would  be  worthless,  which  impaired  confidence  by  the 
suppression  of  truth,  even  though  unpleasant  and  un- 
svelcome.  History,  the  mirror  of  the  past,  reflects  with 
8 


82  FIRST    PREACHING. 

painful  fidelity,  the  dark  as  well  as  the  bright  objects  from 
departed  years,  and  although  we  may  wish  to  contero- 
plate  only  the  glowing  picture  of  prosperity,  the  gloomy 
image  of  ecclesiastical  commotion  is  still  full  in  our 
sight,  shadowing  the  background  with  its  solemn  admo- 
nition. 

No  records  ot  the  Church  in  Princeton  previous  to 
1761,  some  more  than  twenty  years  subsequent  to  the 
first  settlement,  have  descended  to  our  times.  Subse- 
quent to  that  period,  some  information  of  the  prominent 
events  in  Ecclesiastical  History,  may  be  collected  from 
the  votes  of  the  inhabitants  concurrent  with  the  acts  of 
the  Church  ;  for  it  was  the  ancient  usage  of  all  our  towns, 
before  they  had  been  divided  into  parishes,  to  manage 
their  parochial  concerns  in  the  general  meetings. 

Meetings  for  worship  were  held  at  the  dwelling  houses 
most  convenient  in  regard  to  central  situation.  "  The 
first  sermon  ever  preached  in  town  was  probably  at  the 
house  of  Abijah  Moore,  to  an  audience,  which  materi- 
ally increased  at  a  later  day,  a  small  room  and  bed-room 
held  quite  comfortably.  An  old  lady  still  living*  at  the 
age  of  eighty-four,  recollects  hearing  a  sermon  at  Mr. 
Moore's  preached  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Harrington  of  Lan- 
caster, in  October,  1759,  on  the  occasion  of  the  district's 
incorporation.  '  There  were  then,'  says  the  old  lady, 
*  but  a  handful  of  us,  who  found  our  way  to  church  by 
marked  trees.'t  At  this  date  it  was  the  custom  of  the 
inhabitants  to  have  preaching  usually  eight  Sabbaths  in 
the  year.  A  short  time  subsequent,  they  had  preaching 
four  or  five  months,  in  the  pleasant  seasons  of  each  year. 

The  first  expression  of  opinion  on  the  records  of  the 

*  In  1838. 
t  Russell's  History  of  Princeton,  p.  52. 


MEETING  HOUSE  ATTEMPTS-  83 

town,  in  relation  to  ecclesiastical  matters,  dates  the  9th 
of  Feb.  1761 ,  when  the  following  article  is  found  in  the 
warrant  for  a  District  meeting  :*  "  To  see  if  the  dis- 
trict will  vote  to  build  a  meeting  house  for  the  public 
worship  of  God,  and  choose  a  committee  for  the  same  or 
act  anything  relative  thereunto,  as  the  district  shall  think 
proper."f  This  article,  as  appears  from  the  records, 
"  was  not  voted,"  although  it  would  seem  from  the  war- 
rant for  the  district  meeting  in  March  of  the  same  year 
that  the  question  of  erecting  a  house  for  public  worship 
had  not  only  been  agitated,  previous  to  this  period,  but 
that  the  place  ot  its  location  had  been  determined.  The 
following  articles,  somewhat  peculiar  in  their  orthogra- 
phy and  phraseology,  are  found  ia  said  warrant. 

"  To  see  if  the  Destrict  will  vote  to  build  the  meeting- 
house,  to  wit  the  house  for  the  publick  worship  of  God 
in  some  other  place  than  that  which  it  is  already  Voted 
to  be  built  on  and  vote  aneything  Relating  thereunto 
that  the  Destrict  shall  think  proper,  or  otherwise  to  vote 

were  the  said  meethig  house   shall  be  built." "  To 

see  if  the  Destrict  will  vote  to  build  a  meeting-house  as 
soon  as  can  be  convenantly  and  choose  a  committee  for 
the  same  and  Report  unto  the  Destrict  upon  what  terms 
they  can  git  it  built  and  when,  or  act  anything  as  the 
Destrict  shall  think  proper.'5 

It  was  voted  to  pass  over  the  last  article,  and  the  follow- 
ing vote  was  passed  relative  to  the  first.  "  Voted,  Col. 
John  Whiicomb  of  Bolton,    Dea.  Samuel  Pierce,  of  Hol- 

*  The  town  records  for  two  years  subsequent  to  the  incorporation  of  the  dis- 
trict in  1759,  are  lost. 

j  '■*  In  1760,  at  the  meeting  in  March,  as  I  learn  from  other  sources,  than  the 
records,  it  was  voted  to  petition  the  General  Court  to  grant  a  land  tax,  to  ena- 
ble the  district  to  build  a  house  of  worship,  settle  a  minister,  and  layout  roads; 
and  Dr.  Harvey  was  chosen  an  agent  to  present  this  petition." — See  Russell's 
History  of  Princeton,  chap.  4. 


84  COMMITTEE    OF    MEASUREMENT. 

den,  and  Dea.  Joseph  Miller  of  Westminster,  be  a  com- 
mittee to  measure  the  said  District  of  Princetown,  and 
find  the  centre  thereof,  and  afix  or  order  the  place  for 
building  the  meeting-house  on,  to  wit,  the  house  for  the 
public  worship  of  God,  and  if  the  centre  be  not  suitable 
ground  to  build  the  said  house  on,  then  on  the  nearest 
place  to  the  centre  that  is  suitable  according  to  the  best 
judgment  of  the  Committee,  and  they  are  desired  to 
make  return  thereof  at  the  adjournment  of  this  meeting, 
and  it  is  also  voted  that  Mr.  Thos.  Harmon  of  Rutland, 
and  Dea.  Jonathan  Livermore  of  Westborough,  be  sur- 
veyors for  the  purpose  above  said  and  that  all  the  said 
committee  and  surveyors  be  under  oath  for  the  trust 
committed  to  them  as  above  said.  Also  voted  that  the 
vote  for  building  the  said  meeting-house  within  two  rods 
of  the  most  southerly  corner  of  Mr.  Caleb  Myrick's  Land 
be  and  hereby  is  revoked  and  discontinued." 

The  above  named  committee  attended  to  the  "  trust 
committed  to  them"  with  fidelity,  and  reported  at  the  ad- 
journment of  the  meeting,  June  29,  but  their  report  is 
not  on  record,  A  majority  of  the  town  being  dissatis- 
fied therewith,  it  was  voted,  after  paying  them  a  consid- 
erable sum  for  services, 4<  not  to  accept  their  report,  and 
locate  the  house  themselves."  Consequently,  at  a  meet- 
ing on  the  22d  of  July,  the  following  vote  was  passed  : 
"  Voted,  that  the  meeting-house  for  the  public  worship 
of  God  be  built  on  the  highest  part  of  the  land  given  by 
Mr.  John  and  Caleb  Mirick,  to  the  District  for  their 
public  use,  near  three  pine  trees  marked  on  the  norther- 
ly side,  being  near  a  large  flat  rock."  The  site  thus  de- 
termined upon,  and  on  which  the  house  was  ultimately 
erected,  is  some  few  rods  northeast  from  the  old  town 
house. 


F1KST    MEETING   HOUSE.  ^d 

The  question  relative  to  the  place  of  location,  which 
had  agitated  the  inhabitants  several  months,  being  thus 
finally  settled,  the  first  measures  for  the  erection  cf  the 
house  were  taken  in  October,  when  it  was  "  Voted  to 
build  a  meeting-house  for  the  public  worship  of  God,  and 
that  said  house  shall  be  fifty  foots  long  and  forty  foots 
wide.  And  also  voted  that Capt.  EJiphelet  How,  Robert 
Keyes,  Caleb  Mi  rick,  James  Thompson  and  Boaz  Moore 
be  a  Committee  to  see  on  what  terms  they  can  get  the 
timber  for  said  meeting-house,  and  get  said  house 
framed."  The  committee  were  subsequently  directed 
to  purchase  boards,  clapboards,  and  shingles,  to  be  de- 
livered at  the  site  of  said  house.  The  frame  of  the  house 
was  set  up  on  the  30th  of  June,  1762.  The  cost  of  the 
frame  was  ,£71,  13s,  id,  which  was  paid  to  Abijah  Moore, 
who  appears  to  have  procured  said  frame;  and  in  addi- 
tion to  the  above,  £28  was  also  drawn  from  the  treasu- 
ry, as  the  expense  of  raising  *.  The  glass  windows  were 
not  supplied  until  after  a  lapse  of  more  than  three  years, 
when  the  glass  was  donated  to  the  town  by  the  Hon.  Mo- 
ses  Gill.  When  the  first  preaching  was  had  in  this 
church  we  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain.  It  was  not 
entirely  completed  until  as  late  as  the  year  1770.  For 
years  the  people  met  in  the  house  for  worship,  without 
any  floor,  excepting  some  loose  boards.  Their  seats 
were  blocks,  boards,  and  movable  benches.  June  4, 
1767,  it  was  voted  "  to  lay  the  gallery  floors  and  build  a 
breast  work  and  set  up  the  pillars  in  their  proper  places 
and  also  build  four  seats  round  the  galleries."  It  was 
also  allowed  individuals  who  felt  disposed  to  occupy  ei- 
ther side  of  the  house  with  pews,  if  they   would  make 

*  Another  draft  also  made  on  the  treasury,  by  P.  Good  now,  to  the  amount  of 
£7,  2s,  2(/,  was  fur  rum  purchased  by  him  for  workmen  on  said  meeting-house- 

8* 


86  FIRST    MEETING    HOUSE. 

them  at  their  own  expense.  The  manner  of  disposing  of 
the  pew  ground,  as  it  was  called,  was  as  follows :  The 
individual  who  paid  the  highest  land  tax  was  to  have  the 
first  choice,  by  paying  a  certain  sum  fixed  by  the  district. 
Dr,  Harvey  obtained  the  first  and  Oliver  Davis  the  second, 
the  former  paying  £3,  Is,  Ad,  the  second  £3. 

In  March,  1770,  it  was  voted  "  to  paint  the  meeting- 
house, provided  Mr.  Moses  Gill  finds  paint."  Whether 
Mr.  Gill's  generosity  again  developed  itself,  so  as  to  in- 
fluence him  to  comply  with  this  vote  of  the  town  we  are 
notable  to  say.  In  October  of  the  same  year  another 
advance  was  made  towards  the  completion  of  the  house 
by  voting  to  plaster  the  walls.  In  November  succeed- 
ing it  was  also  voted  that  "  ye  plaistering  under  ye  Galle- 
ries be  made  crowning  and  ye  plaistering  whitewashed 
and  ye  Seats  in  ye  side  Galleries  be  finished."  The  en- 
tire cost  of  this  house  which  was  so  long  in  the  process 
of  building  we  are  not  able  to  state. 

The  assignment  of  places  in  church  was  formerly  a 
matter  of  grave  importance,  and  not  unfrequently  claimed 
the  attention  of  the  town.  In  1768,  a  committee  of  four 
was  chosen  and  instructed  to  seat  the  meeting-house, 
taking  as  a  general  rule  the  invoice  taken  in  the  year 
1766,  saving  liberty  to  have  due  regard  to  age  as  they 
shall  see  cause.  For  many  years  those  who  joined  in 
singing  the  devotional  poetry  of  religious  exercises,  were 
dispersed  through  the  congregation,  having  no  place  as- 
signed them  as  a  distinct  body,  and  no  privileges  sepa- 
rate from  other  worshippers.  After  the  clergyman  had 
read  the  whole  psalm,  one  of  the  deacons  repeated  the 
first  line,  which  was  sung  by  those  who  were  able  to  aid 
in  the  pious  melody,  and  thus  the  exercises  of  singing 
and  reading  went  on  alternately. 


CHURCH    COVENANT.  87 

The  people  continued  to  employ  preaching  several 
months  each  year.*  Still  it  appears  that  there  was  no 
organized  church  until  the  12th  of  August,  1764,  twen. 
ty-five  years  after  the  first  settlement,  when  the  following 
covenant  was  adopted  and  subscribed  by  eighteen  male 
persons,  who  constituted  the  church  at  that  time. 

"A  Covenant  entered  into  Aug.  12th,  17G4. 

"We  whose  names  are  hereunto  subscribed,  apprehending 
ourselves  called  of  God  into  a  church  state  of  the  Gospel — Do 
first  of  all  confess  ourselves  to  be  so  highly  favored  of  the  Lord 
and  admire  his  free  and  rich  grace  which  calls  us  hereunto  ; 
and  then  with  humble  reliance  and  dependence  on  the  assis- 
tance of  his  grace  and  Holy  Spirit  therein  promised  for  them, 
that  in  a  sense  of  their  own  inability  to  do  any  good  thing,  do 
humbly  wait  upon  him  for  all,  we  do  thankfully  lay  hold  on  his 
covenant,  and  solemnly  enter  into  covenant  with  God  and  with 
one  another  according  to  Godliness.  We  declare  our  serious 
belief  of  the  Christian  Religion  as  contained  in  the  sacred 
Scriptures,  acknowledging  them  to  contain  the  whole  revealed 
will  of  God  concerning  our  faith  and  practice,  heartily  resolving 
to  conform  our  lives  to  the  rules  of  that  Religion  so  long  as  we 
live.  We  give  up  ourselves  to  the  Lord  Jehovah,  the  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  the  only  true  and  living  God,  and  avouch 
him  this  day  to  be  our  God  and  portion  forever.  We  give  up 
ourselves  to  the  blessed  Jesus,  who  is  the  Lord  Jehovah  and  ad- 
here to  him  as  the  head  of  his  people  in  the  covenant  of  Grace, 
and  rely  upon  him  as  our  Prophet,  Priest  and  King,  to  bring  us 
to  eternal  blessedness.  We  acknowledge  our  everlasting  and 
indispensable  obligation  to  glorify  God  in  all  the  duties  of  a 
sober  and  goodly  life,  and  particularly  in  the  duties  of  a  church 
state  and  a  body  of  people  associated  for  an  obedience  to  him  in 
all  the  ordinances  of  the  Gospel,  and  whereupon  depend  upon 
his  gracious  assistance  for  our  faithful  discharge  of  the  Duties 
thus  incumbent  upon  us.  We  engage  with  dependence  on  his 
promised  grace  and  spirit  to  walk  together  as  a  church  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  the  faith  and  order  of  the  gospel,  so  fir  as 
we  shall  have  the  same  revealed  unto  us,  conscientiously  attend- 
ing the  worship  of  God  in  his  house  in  praying  to  him,  singing 
to  him,  and  giving  reverend  attention  to  his  word,  read  and 
preached  according  to  his  institution,  the  sacraments  of  the  New 

*  The  preaching  was  paid  out  of  the  land  tax. 


88  CHURCH    COVENANT. 

Testament,  the  discipline  of  his  kingdom,  and  all  his  holy  insti- 
tutions in  communion  one  with  another  and  watchfully  avoiding 
all  sinful  stumbling  blocks  and  contentions,  as  become  God's 
people  in  covenant  with  him.  At  the  same  time  we  do  present 
our  offspring  with  ourselves  unto  the  Lord,  purposing  with  his 
help  to  do  and  keep  in  the  methods  of  a  religious  education  that 
they  may  be  the  Lord's.  All  this  we  do  fleeing  to  the  blood  of 
the  everlasting  covenant  for  the  pardon  of  our  many  Errors,  and 
praying  that  the  glorious  Lord  Jesus  who  is  the  great  Shepheid 
would  prep  ire  and  strengthen  us  for  every  good  work  to  do  his 
will,  working  in  us  that  which  is  well  pleasing  in  his  sight  to 
whom  be  glory  forever,  Amen."* 

♦Signed  by  the  following  persons  : — 

Tilly  Litllejohns,  James  JVorcross, 

Eliska  Wilder,  Timothy  Moseman, 

Ebenezer  Jones,  Peter  Goodnow, 

Abel  Pray,  James    Gibbs, 

Samuel  Hastings,  Abijah  Moore, 

Samuel  Bixby,  Caleb  Mirick, 

Abner  Howe,  Timothy  Keyes, 

Samuel  Moseman,  Jtfoah  JVorcross, 

James  Haynes,  Stephen  BrighamA 

From  the  date  of  this  covenant,  no  record  is  preserved 
on  the  church  book,  of  any  transactions  until  May  17, 
1767.  We  learn,  however  from  the  records  of  the  town, 
that  they  continued  to  be  favored  with  the  preaching  of 
the  Gospel,  at  Jeast  a  portion  of  each  year.  About  this 
time,  (1764,)  Rev.  William  Crawford  supplied  the  pul- 
pit. It  was  voted  on  the  4th  of  March,  1765,  to  have 
"  six  months  preaching  beginning  in  April  " 

The  first  movement  of  the  inhabitants  of  Princeton  to- 
wards the  settlement  of  a  minister  was  in  1765.  In  the 
warrant  for  a  district  meeting  in  December  of  that  year, 
the  following  article  was  inserted  : — "  To  see  if  the  Dis- 
trict will  vote  how  soon  they  will  settle  a   minister,  and 

*  This  covenant  was  not  entered  on  tho  church  records  until  several  yeua 
after  its  adoption, 
{  Church  records,  vol.  1,  p.  1. 


FIRST    CALL    OF    A    MINISTER.  80 

also  whether  they  will  hear  any  one  or  more  of  the  can- 
didates for  the  ministry  which  they  have  already  heard 
in  order  for  settling,  or  any  other  or  others  which  they 
have  not  heard,  or  act  anything  relating  to  that  affair." 
On  this  article  it  was  "  voted  to  hear  Mr.  Baker,  Mr. 
Fuller,  and  Mr.  Moore,  each  of  them  six  sabbaths  on 
probation,  in  order  for  settling."  Whether  these  Rev. 
gentlemen  complied  with  the  above  vote  of  the  district 
it  does  not  appear.  Neither  of  them,  however,  received 
a  call  to  settle  in  the  district  at  that  time.  The  first  in- 
vitation extended  to  any  individual  to  become  their  min- 
ister, was  the  call  to  the  Rev.  Sewall  Goodrich,  in  1760. 
On  the  21st  of  August  of  this  year,  the  district  voted  to 
concur  with  the  church  in  their  selection  of  Mr.  Good- 
rich to  settle  with  them  in  the  Gospel  ministry.  At  the 
same  time  there  was  also  voted  him  as  a  settlement,  o£133, 
6s,  8d,  one  half  payable  in  eight  months  from  the  time  of 
his  ordination,  and  the  remainder  in  one  year  from  the 
time  of  the  first-mentioned  payment.  As  an  annual  sal- 
ary there  was  also  voted  him  <£53, 6s,  8d.  Mr.  Goodrich 
declined  the  invitation  ;  and  on  the  5th  of  September  it 
was  voted  to  make  an  addition  to  the  salary  of  £V3,  6s,  8<7, 
to  be  paid  as  follows  :  "  One  half  at  the  expiration  of  five 
years  from  his  ordination,  thenceforth  to  be  paid  as  part 
of  his  salary  ;  the  remainder  to  be  paid  in  ten  year^  from 
his  ordination  as  pastor  with  the  like  condition."  Mr. 
Goodrich  still  declined  the  invitation  to  settle. 

Nothing  further  was  done  towards  the  settlement  of  a 
pastor  until  the  30th  of  March,  1767,  when  the  district 
voted,  22  to  4,  to  concur  with  the  church  in  their  choice 
of  the  Rev.  Timothy  Fuller  to  settle  with  them  in  the  work 
of  the  gospel  ministry.  The  same  pecuniary  encourage- x 
ment  was  voted  Mr.  Fuller,  as  a   settlement,  which  had 


90  MR.  fuller's  ordination. 

been  previously  offered  Mr.  Goodrich.  They  also  voted 
him  an  annual  salary  of  ,£53,  6s,  8d. ;  and  an  addition 
of  £6,  13s  4d,  to  be  paid  to  his  wife  at  the  expiration  of 
five  years  from  his  ordination,  thenceforth  to  be  contin- 
ued yearly;  and  the  same  amount  additional  in  ten 
years,  thenceforth  to  be  paid  yearly  so  long  as  Mr.  Fuller 
shall  continue  to  be  their  minister  and  fulfil  the  work  of 
the  ministry.  A  committee  was  appointed'  to  wait  on 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Fuller,  with  the  above  invitation,  to  which 
he  returned  an  affirmative  answer. 

On  the  9th  of  September,  1767,  Mr.  Fuller  was  or- 
dained as  pastor  of  the  religious  society.  There  were 
present  on  this  occasion  to  assist  in  the  solemnities  of  the 
ordination,  pastors  and  delegates  from  the  First  Church 
in  Danvers,  the  second  Church  in  Shrewsbury  the  second 
in  Lancaster,  and  the  Churches  in  Wilmington,  Rutland, 
Holden,  Weston,  Westminster  and  Middleton. 

As  a  substitute  for  the  old  covenant,  the  following  was 
adopted  by  the  church,  on  the  9th  of  November,  to  be 
used  in  the  admission  of  members : 

u  A  Covenant   for  admission  into  the  Church. 

"You  declare  your  firm  belief  of  one  Infinite  and  Eternal 
God,  Father  Son  and  Holy  Ghost,  that  the  Sacred  Scriptures 
are  of  Divine  origin,  and  comprehend  our  whole  duty  as  it  re- 
lates to  faith  and  practice  ; — You  resolve  to  conform  your  lives 
to  the  rules  of  God's  word  till  death, — giving  up  yourselves  to 
God  the  Father  as  your  portion,  to  God  the  Son  as  your  Re- 
deemer, and  to  God  the  Holy  Ghost  as  your  sanctifier  guide  and 
comforter  : — You  acknowledge  your  indispensable  obligation  to 
serve  and  glorify  God  in  a  holy,  sober  and  godly  life,  and  prom- 
ise to  live  in  obedience  to  him  walking  in  all  his  ordinances 
blameless: — You  promise  also  by  the  help  of  God  to  walk  with 
the  Church  in  the  faith  and  oider  of  the  gospel,  attending  the 
public  worship  of  God,  the  Sacrament  of  the  New  Testament, 
the  duties  of  his  kingdom  and  all  his  holy  institutions,  so  long 
as  you  continue  in  the  place  : — you  promise  to  devote  your  off- 
spring to  God,  and  to  instruct  them  in  the  principles   and  prac- 


COMPLAINTS  AGAINST  MR.  FULLER.        91 

tice  of  religion  ;  carefully  avoiding  every  cause  of  contention 
and  every  source  of  sin,  as  becomes  God's  people  in  covenant 
with  him  ;  and  this  you  do  flying  to  the  blood  ot  the  everlasting 
covenant  for  the  pardon  of  your  sins,  praying  that  the  Lord  Je- 
sus who  is  the  great  Shepherd  would  prepare  and  strengthen 
you  for  every  good  work  to  do  his  will,  working  in  you  that 
which  is  well  pleasing  in  his  sight,  to  whom  be  glory  forever  and 
ever.    Amen." 

After  the  adoption  of  the  above  covenant  and  at  the 
same  meeting,  the  first  Deacons  of  the  church  were  elect- 
ed. These  were  Timothy  Keyes  and  Adonijah  Howe. 
It  was  also  voted  4<  that  the  sacrament  be  administered 
once  in  two  months  ;  but  may  be  omitted  at  particular 
times  as  the  pastor  may  judge  expedient."  On  the  10th 
of  April  the  year  following,  the  Hon.  Moses  Gill  pre- 
sented to  the  Church  a  flagon,  tankard,  cup  and  dish  for 
the  communion  table,  and  also  a  baptismal  basin. 

Mr  Fuller  continued  to  exercise  his  ministerial  func- 
tions to  the  general  satisfaction  of  his  parishioners  for 
nearly  eight  years,  when,  during  the  opening  struggles 
of  the  revolutionary  war  and  amid  the  violence  of  party 
contention,  he  was  suspected  of  entertaining  unfavorable 
views  in  regard  to  the  rights  and  liberties  of  the  Colo- 
nies. In  view  of  the  alarming  state  of  affairs,  the  Gene- 
ral Court,  at  its  session  in  1774,  were  desirous  to  have 
Gov.  Gage  appoint  a  fast.  He  refused  to  comply  with 
their  wishes,  whereupon  they  recommended  a  day  for 
public  fast  and  prayer,  in  imitation  of  their  pious  ances- 
tors, "  who  on  all  occasions  of  common  danger  and  dis- 
tress devoutly  looked  to  God  for  direction  and  favor." 
The  people  of  Princeton  desired  Mr.  Fuller,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  recommendation  of  the  General  Court,  to 
hold  a  fast,  but  he  declined.  Many  took  offence  at  this 
course  ;  and  from  this  period  the  disaffection  commenced 


92  COMPLAINTS    AGAINST    MR.    FULLER. 

which  seemed  to  produce  in  the  minds  of  the  people  an 
indomitable  determination  to  dissolve  their  existing  con- 
nection. This  however  was  not  the  only  complaint 
brought  by  the  people  against  their  pastor.  Many  things 
that  had  passed  unnoticed  for  years,  were  construed  into 
grievances.  The  following  letter,  from  a  committee  of 
the  church,  contains  a  summary  of  these  allegations  : — 

"  To  the  Rev.    Timothy  Fuller. 

"  Sik,  We  are  dissatisfied  with  your  conduct  in  the 
pastoral  office  in  the  following  particulars.  1.  Your  not 
catechising  and  instructing  the  children  more  frequently. 
2.  Your  neglect  of  pastoral  visits  and  of  conversation  on 
spiritual  things.  3.  An  unchristian  backwardness  to 
instruct  and  enlighten  your  flock,  which  we  fear  proceeds 
from  a  disregard  to  their  spiritual  welfare.  4.  Your 
neglecting  lectures  when  first  settled  a??wng  us.  5.  Your 
refusing  to  appoint  a  Fast  when  motioned  by  the  Gene- 
ral Court  on  account  of  the  fearful  apprehension  of  losing 
liberties  of  country,  through  the  arbitrary  proceedings  of 
the  British  Parliament.  6.  Your  treatment  of  the 
Church,  when  seeking  for   satisfaction  in  the  articles  of 

charge. 

Timothy  Keyes, 
Stephen  Brigham, 
Steph en  Harrington , 
Ichabod  Fisher, 
Thos.  Glcason. 

Princeton,  March  26,  1776." 

Mr.  Fuller  returned  an  answer  to  this  bill  of  charges 
by  letter,  "  which  stands  on  record,"  say  the  church  re- 
cords, "  in  the  Old  Church  Book."  This  book,  unfor- 
tunately, has  been  lost ;  consequently  the  reply  is  not 
accessible  to  the  writer.     From  April,  1776,   to   May, 


MR.  fuller's  reply.  93 

1786,  no  record  is  preserved  on  the  church  book  of  any 
transactions.  "  Sometime  subsequent  however,"  says 
Mr.  Russell  in  his  History  of  Princeton,  "  to  the  trial  of 
the  suit  at  Salem,  which  he  commenced  against  the  town 
for  the  recovery  of  his  salary,  Mr.  Fuller  published  a 
vindication*  of  his  conduct,  in  which  is  incorporated, 
probably,  the  substance  of  his  reply  to  the  church." 
With  respect  to  the  charge  of  toryism  he  says, — "  What 
my  people  believed,  I  am  unable  to  determine  ;  but  I 
persuade  myself  they  did  not  believe  me  opposed  to  the 
measures  of  my  country,  because  there  was  nothing  in 
my  conduct  or  conversation  to  justify  such  a  faith,  con- 
sidered as  a  rational  principle.  My  principles  did  not 
forbid  my  offering  the  petitions  of  the  people  for  relief; 
but  I  readily  joined  with  my  people  on  all  days  set  apart 
by  any  Court  or  Congress,  for  public  devotion,  and  led 
them  in  their  addresses  to  heaven  for  aid  and  deliver- 
ance."t  In  regard  to  the  charges  of  neglect  of  lectures, 
catechising,  and  pastoral  visits,  he  says, — "  To  these  I  at 
that  time  answered,  that  I  had  rarely  omitted  a  lecture 
previous  to  the  communion,  except  for  a  period  some- 
what exceeding  a  year  after  my  settlement,  when  lec- 
tures were  not  so  statedly  appointed  as  afterwards,  by 
reason  of  necessary  avocations.  That  I  had  made  it  a 
rule  to  catechise  their  children  twice  a  year,  from  which 
I  had  seldom  deviated.  That  I  had  visited  them  all 
generally  once  a  year  ;  and  never  neglected  to  visit  per- 

*  "  This  is  a  small  pamphlet  of  twenty-three  pages,  entitled  '  Remarks,  &c.' 
and  purports  to  be  written  in  reply  to  some  strictures  upon  a  pamphlet  published 
by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Thatcher.     It  is  without  date  or  signature,  and  but  few  copies 
probably  exist.     For  the  one  in  my  possession  I  am   indebted  to  the  politeness 
of  Charles  Mirick,  Esq  " 

fThe  charge  of  toryism,  against  Mr.  Fuller,  we  have  narrated  in  the  Chap- 
ter on  the  Revolutionary  War. 

9 


94  MR.    FULLER'S    RErLY. 

sons  in  sickness,  upon  their  offering  a  note  for  public 
prayers,  or  upon  particular  application,  and  on  such 
visits  had  endeavored  to  adapt  my  addresses  to  their  cir- 
cumstances." The  charge  of  levity,  in  presiding  at  the 
church  meetings,  is  explained  by  supposing  "  the  mode- 
rator laid  down  his  head  on  the  seat  before  him,  shiver- 
ing with  the  cold,  which  the  people  might  fondly  con- 
strue into  a  shake  of  laughter."  "  It  may  be  impossi- 
ble," somewhat  satirically  continues  the  writer,  "  some- 
times  in  such  debates  and  altercations  to  suppress  a  re- 
luctant smile.  And  there  may  be  such  a  concurrence  of 
circumstances,  as  to  protect  a  man  from  censure,  in  such 
a  case,  on  any  occasion  whatever,  except  an  immediate  ad- 
dress to  the  Deity."  Mr.  Russell  proceeds,  "  The  ty- 
ranny in  church  government,  another  subject  of  com- 
plaint, seems  to  have  been  charged  upon  Mr.  Fuller  in 
two  instances  in  particular;  in  one  of  which,  he  refused 
to  put  a  vote  whereby  the  church  would  go  into  an  im- 
mediate investigation  of  the  charges,  then  for  the  first 
time  brought  against  him.  On  his  refusal,  the  church 
were  on  the  point  of  voting  in  a  new  moderator,  when  he 
dissolved  the  meeting.  In  the  other  instance,  he  over- 
ruled a  motion  to  choose  a  committee  to  collect  articles 
of  charge  against  him,  remarking  that  if  any  one  had 
anything  against  him,  he  had  full  liberty  to  offer  it,  and 
in  due  time,  it  should  be  laid  before  the  church,  but  that 
he  would  not  be  active  in  choosing  a  committee  to  hunt 
up  articles  against  him.  In  vindication  of  Mr.  Fuller's 
conduct,  in  this  respect,  I  should  remark  that,  up  to  this 
time,  the  ministers  claimed  the  right  of  negativing  any 
vote  of  the  church  which  they  disliked."* 

Such  was  the  character  of  the  charges  against  Mr.  Ful- 

See  c  History  of  Princeton'  pp.  41,  42. 


ECCLESIASTICAL    COUNCIL.  95 

ler,  and  such  his  reply  to  them.  During  several  months, 
continued  but  ineffectual  efforts  were  made  to  secure 
equitable  adjustment.  Meeting  after  meeting  was  held. 
It  was  finally  decided,  on  the  part  of  the  church  and 
town,  to  submit  the  determination  of  the  whole  matter 
to  an  Ecclesiastical  Council.  Consequently  a  Council 
convened  March  11,  177G,  at  the  house  of  Caleb  Mi- 
rick,  from  the  churches  in  Worcester,  Westminster,  and 
the  first  in  Shrewsbury.  After  the  organization  of  said 
council,  notice  was  given  to  Mr.  Fuller  and  his  presence 
solicited  ;  who,  on  receiving  said  notice,  communicated 
through  them  a  letter  to  the  town  and  church  commit- 
*ee,  proposing  a  mutual  Ecclesiastical  Council,  on  the 
following  terms  : — "  1st.  To  consist  of  nine  churches, 
four  to  be  chosen  by  each  party,  the  ninth  mutually,  and 
to  be  selected  from  this  county,  in  consequence  of  the 
almost  universal  adoption  in  Worcester  county,  of  the 
'  Bolton  plan.'*  2d.  Each  church  to  be  represented  by 
its  pastor  and  two  delegates.  3d.  That  all  articles  of 
grievance  be  submitted  to  them.  4th.  That  each  party 
be  served  with  a  copy  of  these  articles  at  least  fourteen 
days  before  the  sitting  of  the  Council.  5th.  That  the 
Council  regulate  their  own  proceedings.  Gth.  That  the 
number  of  persons  sitting  in  Council  from  each  church 
be  equal.  7th.  That  each  party  choose  several  churches 
extraordinary,  out  of  which  they  may  supply,  if  any  of 
the  first  choice  should  happen  to  fail."  These  proposals 
were  assented  to  on  the  part  of  the  committee,  with  the 
substitution  of  seven  churches  instead  of  nine.  Mr.  Ful- 
ler consented,  and  accordingly  the  committee,    in  con- 

*  Previous  to  the  year  1776  it  had  been  the  unanimous  practice  oi  the  minis- 
ters to  negative  any  vote  of  the  church  which  they  disapproved.  This  right, 
however,  the  church  in  Bolton  disputed,  and  their  views  were  finally  sanc- 
tioned by  an  Ecclesiastical  Council.    Hence  the  "  Bolton  plan." 


95  ECCLESIASTICAL    COUNCIL. 

nection  with  Mr.  F.,  proceeded  to  the  selection  of  church- 
es. A  disagreement,  however,  arose  between  the  par- 
ties, in  choosing  the  "  extraordinary  churches,"  which 
defeated  the  whole  plan.  Hence  the  former  council, 
with  the  addition  of  the  first  church  in  Dedham  and  the 
church  in  Weston,  convened  on  the  IGth  of  April,  and 
Mr.  Fuller  was  requested  to  appear  before  said  Council, 
by  a  letter  from  the  Rev.  Mr.  Maccarty,  who  had  been 
elected  moderator.  This  he  refused  to  do,  stating  as  an 
objection,  that  he  considered  that  they  were  an  exparte 
Council,  and  of  consequence  were  devoted  to  the  inter- 
ests of  his  opponents. 

The  Council  then  proceeded  to  make  the  following 
proposition, — that  they  would  name  twelve  churches, 
from  which  each  party  should  select  three,  mutually  con- 
senting to  the  church  in  Weston,  (which  was  then  pre- 
sent) as  the  seventh,  which  should  be  a  council  for  the 
final  settlement  of  all  grievances.  With  this,  again,  Mr. 
Fuller  refused  to  comply,  stating  as  an  objection,  that  it 
would  be,  in  effect,  exparte,  as  the  whole  twelve  from 
which  the  mutual  council  was  to  be  chosen,  were  selected 
by  the  sitting  council.  Says  Mr.  Fuller  in  his  reply  to 
the  proposal  of  the  council, — "  If  my  brethren  had  pro- 
posed to  choose  my  judges,  I  should  not  have  thought  it 
strange,  but  that  you,  gentlemen,  should  propose  that 
they  should  do  the  same  thing  by  proxy,  is  a  little  wonder- 
ful." At  the  same  time  he  renewed  his  proposal  for  a 
mutual  council,  on  the  same  conditions  as  before  men- 
tioned. This  was  declined  by  the  council,  on4'  account 
of  the  embarrassments  thrown  in  the  way"  at  the  first  at- 
tempt, in  the  selection  of  the  M  extraordinary  churches." 
The  council  now  proceeded  to  advise  Mr.  Fuller  to  re- 
quest a  dismission.     He  however  declined,    but  waited 


BIOGRAPHICAL    NOTICE.  97 

on  ihem,  proposing  a  mutual  council  on  one  of  the  two 
following  conditions  : — 1st.  He  would  "  set  aside  six  of 
the  churches  which  the  brethren  had  chosen,"  the  six 
that  remained,  in  connection  with  the  seventh  which 
should  be  mutually  selected,  to  constitute  the  council. 
2d.  "  I  will  set  aside/'  says  Mr.  Fuller,  "  twenty  church- 
es, and  the  brethren  as  many  more,  and  then  we  will 
each  choose  three  congregational  churches,  of  good 
standing,  any  where  in  the  province,  no  objection  on 
either  side;  who,  together  with  one  mutually  agreed 
upon,  shall  be  a  mutual  council." 

Neither  of  these  propositions  were  acceded  tov;  and 
the  council  on  the  19th,  again  proceeded  to  advise,  fi- 
nally, Mr.  Fuller's  dismission.  He  was  accordingly  dis- 
missed. Subsequently  Mr.  Fuller  called  an  exparte 
council,  consisting  of  Rev.  Mr.  Howard's  church,  Bos- 
ton, Payson's  of  Chelsea,  Whitney's  of  Shirley,  Adams' 
of  Lunenburg,  and  Barnard's  of  Salem.  The  result  of 
this  was  favorable  to  Rev.  Mr.  Fuller.  Being  dissatis- 
fied with  the  result  of  the  first  council,  and  also  believing 
it  to  have  been  illegal,  Mr.  Fuller  commenced  a  suit 
against  the  town  in  1782,  for  the  recovery  of  his  salary 
from  1775.  The  case  was  argued  at  Salem  in  Novem- 
ber,  by  Judge  Parsons  in  behalf  of  the  plaintiff,  and 
Messrs.  Sullivan  and  Lincoln  for  the  defendants.  Mr. 
Fuller,  however,  lost  his  case — a  verdict  being  found  in 
favor  of  the  town,  and  thus  ended  this  unhappy  and  pro- 
tracted controversy. 

The  Rev.  Timothy  Fuller,  a  graduate  of  Cambridge 
University,  in  1760,  was  born  inMiddleton,  in  this  State, 
in  1733,  and  descended  from  an  ancient  family,  who  em- 
igrated from  England  to  this  country  in  1628.  After 
his  dismission  from  Princeton,  Mr.  Fuller  removed  to 
9* 


98  REV.    DANIEL    ADAMS. 

Martha's  Vineyard,  and  preached  in  Chilmark  until  the 
close  of  the  revolutionary  war.  In  1782  he  removed  to 
Middleton,  his  native  place,  and  in  a  short  time  subse- 
quent to  that  period,  he  returned  to  Princeton,  where  he 
devoted  his  time  to  agricultural  pursuits.  In  1788,  he 
represented  the  town  in  the  convention  which  approved 
and  adopted  the  present  Federal  Constitution.  In  1796, 
Mr.  Fuller  removed  to  Merrimac,  N.  H.,  where  he  was 
employed  in  cultivating  the  soil,  until  July,  1805,  when 
he  died,  at  the  age  of  sixty-five.* 

*  For  the  materials  of  the  biographical  sketch  of  Mr.  Fuller,  as  well  as  of 
several  other  clergymen,  I  am  indebted  to  the  History  of  Princeton  by  Russell. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

Unsuccessful  efforts  for  a  re-establishment  of  the  Gospel  Ministry — Settlement 
of  Mr.  Crafts — He  requests  a  Dismission — Letter  to  him — Rev.  Mr.  Good- 
rich— New  Meeting  House — Mr.  Russell's  Settlement — Dedication  of 
Meeting  House— Mr.  Russell's  Dismission — Settlement  of  Mr.  Murdock — 
First  General  Revival  of  Religion  in  Town— Church  Covenant— Mr.  Mur- 
dock's  Dismission. 

In  the  period  of  little  more  than  ten  years  subsequent 
to  the  dismssion  of  Mr.  Fuller,  several  candidates  were 
heard,  and  three  unsuccessful  attempts  were  made  for 
the  re-establishment  of  the  Gospel  ministry.*  The  first 
of  these  was  on  the  26th  of  January,  1778,  when  the 
town  "  voted  to  concur  with  the  church  in  their  choice 
of  Mr.  Daniel  Adams  of  Medway  for  their  Pastor,"  at  the 
same  time  offering  him  .£400  as  a  settlement.  At  a  sub- 
sequent meeting  the  inhabitants  voted    a  salary  of  <£70, 

♦January  7, 177P,  was  set  apart  by  a  vote  of  the  church  and  town,  for  humil- 
ation,  prayer,  and  suppl  ication  of  the  divine  assistance,  for  the  re-establish- 
ment of  the  Gospel  ministry. 


REV.    MESSRS.    LITCHFIELD    AND    HUBBARD.  99 

to  be  paid  him  annually,  so  long  as  he  should  continue 
in  the  ministry  with  them,  as  follows  :  One  half  at  the 
Rate  of  Indian  Corn  at  four  shilling sper  bushel,  and  the 
remainder  in  cash,  from  the  fluctuating  currency  of  the 
times.     Mr.  Adams  declined  this  invitation. 

In  October,  an  invitation  was  given  to  Rev.  Paul 
Litchfield  to  settle  in  the  place,  and  a  settlement  of 
£600,  with  the  same  pecuniary  encouragement  as  an 
annual  salary,  which  had  been  previously  offered  Mr. 
Adams,  was  tendered  to  him.  At  a  subsequent  meet- 
ing, however,  the  town  so  far  reconsidered  this  as  to 
vote, — "  that  there  be  paid  to  Mr.  Paul  Litchfield  each 
and  every  year  during  his  continuance  in  the  ministry 
among  us  seventy  pounds  as  followeth  ; — twenty-three 
pounds,  six  shillings,  eight  pence,  at  the  Rate  of  Indian 
Corn  at  three  shillings  per  bushel,  ,£23,  6s,  Sd,  at  the 
Rate  of  Beef  at  twenty  shillings  per  hundred  ;  and  £23, 
6s,  8d,  in  cash  of  the  present  currency."  Mr.  Litchfield 
declined  this  invitation.  It  was  renewed  in  May,  1779, 
by  a  vote  of  the  town,  46  to  22,  with  the  settlement 
augmented  to  £1200,  with  the  same  salary,  only  £17, 
10s,  however,  being  payable  in  the  then  currency.  This 
invitation  he  also  declined. 

In  January,  1781,  Rev.  Ebenezer  Hubbard  was  invi- 
ted to  settle,  and  a  settlement  of  £200  lawful  money,  of- 
fered, payable  "  at  the  rate  of  Indian  Corn  at  3s,  Rye 
at  four  shillings  a  bushel,  beef  at  20  shillings  per  hun- 
dred, and  pork  at  three-and-a'half  pence  per  pound." 
A  salary  also  of  £73,  6s,  8d,  of  lawful  money  payable 
at  the  rates  of  Indian  Corn,  Beef  and  Pork,  as  above.* 
It  was  also  voted  subsequent  to  this  period,    that   thirty 

*  This  was  a  necessary  expedient  to  avoid  the  depreciation  of  the  paper  cur- 
rency of  the  times. 


100 


REV.   THOMAS    CRAFTS. 


cords  of  wood  annually,  be   added  to  this    salary.     Mr. 
Hubbard  however    declined  the  invitation. 

No  further  attempts  were  made  for  the  re-establish- 
ment of  the  Gospel  ministry  until  January,  1786,  when 
Rev.  Thomas  Crafts  received  an  invitation  from  the  in- 
habitants to  become  their  pastor.  It  was  voted  that  "  the 
sum  of  c£200  be  paid  him  in  six  months  after  his  or" 
dination,  as  his  settlement,  and  that  the  sum  of  <£S0 
be  paid  him  as  his  annual  salary,  and  that  twenty  cords 
of  wood  be  delivered  him  every  Fall  so  long  as  he  shall 
continue  our  minister.''  Mr.  Crafts  accepted  the  call, 
and  was  ordained  on  the  23th  of  June,  1786.*  On  this 
occasion  letters  missive,  inviting  their  presence  by  pas- 
tor and  delegate,  were  sent  to  the  fourth  church  in 
Bridgewater,  the  church  in  Brattle-street,  Boston, — in 
Roxbury,  Brookline,  Shrewsbury,  Rutland,  Holden  and 
Sterling,  all  of  which  were  present. 

Mr.  Crafts    continued  to    discharge  the   duties  of  the 

*  "No  little  display  would  seem  to  have  been  made  on  this  occasion,  if  we  may 

judge  from  the  following  account,  which  I  accidentally  came  across  among  a 

mass  of  loose  papers  in  the  Town  Clerk's  office,  and  which  speaks  loud  for  the 

multitude  present  or  the  poverty  of  the  town.     The  people  of  Princeton  would 

be  the  last  to  let  such  an  occasion  pass  wanting  in   a  single  one  of  the   '  good 

things  of  this  life' which  usually  load  the  groaning  tables   of  the  ordination 

day." 

'To  the  Town  of  Princeton,  to  me  Debtor. 
For  going  to  Hardwick,  to  carry  Mr.  Crafts — Ihe  call  of 

the  town, 09  00 

Also  for  fetching  cider,  plates  and  dishes  from  Shrews- 
bury and  carrying  them  back  again, OG  00 

For  going  to  Westminster  for  knives  and  forks,  and  for 

a  horse  to  carry  one  of  the  cooks  home, 07  CO 

For  nine  dozen  eggs  for  the  Council, 06  00 

IS  60 
Frinceton,  June  30,  1786.'  ADON1JAII  HOWE. 

I  also  find  about  this  time — 

'  The  Town  of  Princeton,.  .  ...  .To  Samuel  Dad  man,  Dr. 

For  one  leg  of  bacon  16K  lbs., 0  13  11  2.' 

which    it  is   not  unfounded   conjecture  to  suppose,  went  the  way  of  the  '  nine 

dozen  eggs  for  the  Council.'  " — Russell's  Hist,  of  Princeton,  Chap.  v. 


LETTER    TO    MR.    CRAFTS. 


101 


ministry  with  fidelity,  for  about  three  years,  until  his 
health  failed.  For  nearly  two  years  he  was  unable  to 
preach,  when  all  hope  of  recovery,  so  as  to  be  able  to 
carry  on  the  work  of  the  sacred  office,  being  cut  off,  he 
requested  and  received,  a  dismission  from  the  pastoral  re- 
lation. . 

That  Rev.  Mr.  Crafts  was  very  highly  respected  and 
beloved  by  the  people  of  his  charge,  is  evident  from  the 
following  letter,  sent  him  on  the  occasion  of  his  dismis- 
sion : — 

"Reverend  Sir  : — The  Church  and  Congregation  in 
Princeton  having  this  day,  according  to  your  request, 
voted  your  dismission  from  your  Pastoral  Relation  sole- 
ly on  the  account  of  your  ill  state  of  health  and  little 
prospect  of  your  future  usefulness  in  that  work  ;  We  the 
Church  and  Congregation  in  this  place  declare  that  it 
is  with  reluctance  that  we  are  constrained  to  part  with 
you  under  these  considerations ;  that  it  has  been  with 
pleasure  and  much  satisfaction  that  we  have  sat  under 
your  ministry ;  that  we  sincerely  sympathize  with  you 
under  these  (your) afflictions  ;  that  we  ardentlv  wish  Al- 
mighty God  would  take  you  and  your  family  under  His 
Gracious  Protection,  and  if  it  be  his  pleasure,  to  give 
you  a  confirmed  state  of  health,  and  make  you  yet  use- 
ful in  your  public  character,  and  long  continue  you  a 
blessing  to  the  world. 

"We  ask  an  interest  in  your  prayers,  and  subscribe 
"Your  affectionate  Friends  and  Brethren, 

Moses  Gill,  Moderator" 

11  Signed  at  the  request  of  the  town  in  town  meeting 
assembly. 

To  the  Rev.  Mr.  Thos.  Crafts." 


102  EEV.    MR.    GOODRICH. 

Ilev.  Thomas  Crafts  was  a  native  of  Newton,  son  of 
Dr.  John  S.  Crafts,  who  removed  to  North-Bridgewater 
when  his  son  was  quite  young.  The  latter  graduated  at 
Cambridge  University  in  1783.  After  his  removal  from 
Princeton  he  returned  to  Bridgewater,  in  which  place 
and  "Wejmouth  he  resided  until  1802,  when,  having  re- 
gained his  health,  he  settled  over  a  church  and  society 
in  Middleborough,  where  he  continued  his  labors  until 
his  demise,  January  19,  1819,  at  the  age  of  60. 

For  several  months  after  the  dismission  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Crafts,  the  pulpit  was  supplied  by  Rev.  Hezekiah  Good- 
rich, who  was  subsequently  settled  over  the  church  and 
society  in  Rutland.  On  the  5th  of  December,  1791,  it 
was  "  voted  unanimously  that  Mr.  Hezekiah  Goodrich's 
late  preaching  has  been  acceptable  to  the  town,  and  that 
the  committee  be  instructed  to  apply  to  him  to  preach 
six  Sabbaths  on  probation — after  the  term  which  he  is 
engaged  has  expired."  Whether  Mr.  Goodrich  com- 
plied with  this  vote  we  are  not  able  to  say.  He  how- 
ever received  no  call  from  the  church  or  town  to  settle 
over  them  in  the  ministry.  No  attempt  was  made,  from 
1791  until  1795,  for  the  re-establishment  of  the  Gospel 
ministry  in  Princeton. 

The  first  Meeting  House  exhibiting  signs  of  decay,  the 
question  was  discussed  in  Town  Meeting,  March  9, 
1795,  "  shall  a  new  meeting-house  be  built."  It  was 
the  opinion  of  the  town  to  build  a  new  house.  A  com- 
mittee, consisting  of  Dea.  Howe,  William  Whittaker, 
Capt.  Samuel  Hastings,  His  Honor  Moses  Gill,  and 
Lieut.  A,  Merriam,  was  appointed  to  draft  a  plan  and 
estimate  the  probable  cost.  Subsequently  this  commit- 
tee reported  the  probable  expense  of  said  house  as  fol- 
lows :  £  1039,  8s  for  materials,  £00  for  extra  expenses, 


NEW    MEETING    HOUSE.  103 

=£700  for  carpenters'  work;  and  the  probable  amount 
which  would  accrue  from  sale  of  pews,  and  the  old  house 
at  ,£1875.  The  committee  also  reported  the  following 
plan  : — Dimensions,  70  by  55  feet ;  to  contain  75  ground 
and  26  gallery  Pews.  Their  report  was  accepted  by  the 
town,  whereupon  a  building  committee,  consisting  of 
Hon.  Moses  Gill,  Capt.  Samuel  Hastings,  Lieut.  Amos 
Merriam,  David  Brooks  and  William  Whittaker,  was 
chosen.  This  committee  was  instructed  to  erect  the 
"  New  Meeting  House  on  the  ground  where  the  old 
meeting-house  stands,  or  as  nigh  it  as  shall  in  the 
judgment  of  the  committee  be  most  eligible."  The 
pews  in  said  house  were  disposed  of  May  6,  1795,  some 
months  previous  to  its  erection.*  The  whole  amount  of 
receipts  from  the  sale  of  the  same  was  <£1728,  3s,  Id, 
and  the  whole  cost  of  said  house  (exclusive  of  the  bell, 
which  was  purchased  some  years  subsequent  for  8470, 
and  the  painting,  for  which  8320  was  paid  afterwards,) 
.£2273,  3s,  Id,  consequently  there  was  a  deficiency  of 
=£545,  4J,  which  was  raised  at  a  subsequent  period  by 
a  general  tax. 

Previous  to  the  erection  of  this  house,  the  Rev.  Jo- 
seph Russell  received  an  invitation  from  the  church  and 
town  to  settle  over  them  as  a  pastor.  December  7, 
1795,  the  town  voted  unanimously  to  concur  with  the 
church  in  their  "  invitation"  made  on  the  20th  of  Nov. 
to  Mr.  Russell.  At  the  same  time  it  was  '■  voted  that 
the  usual  mode  of  giving  a  settlement  be  dispensed  with, 
and  that  the  sum  of  four  hundred  thirty-three  dollars 
and  one  third  of  a  dollar  be  paid  him  yearly  during  his 
continuance  in  the  ministry."     It  was  also  voted,  on  the 

*  Michael  Gill,  Esq.,  paid  £36  for  No.CG  Pew*  in  said  house,  which  was  the 
highest  sum  obtained  for  any  one. 


104  mr.  russell's  settlement. 

8th  of  February,  1796,  to  "furnish  Mr.  Russell  with 
twenty-five  cords  of  good  merchantable  wood  annually, 
delivered  to  him  at  his  dwelling-house,  so  long  as  he 
shall  continue  our  minister  and  the  price  of  staple  com- 
modities remain  as  they  now  are  ;  but  when  the  capital 
articles  of  consumption  shall  revert  back  to  their  former 
standard,  that  is  to  say,  when  the  price  of  beef  shall  be 
reduced  from  thirty-six  to  twenty-four  shillings  per  hun- 
dred ;  Pork  from  six  to  four  pence  per  pound ;  Rye 
from  six  to  four-shillings  per  bushel ;  Indian  Corn  from 
four-and-six-pence  to  three  shillings  per  bushel ;  the 
whole  expense  of  the  wood,  be  it  more  or  less,  shall  be 
deducted  from  the  salary  already  voted  by  the  town,  and 
so  in  a  less  proportion  as  the  price  of  those  commodities 
shall  gradually  decrease." 

Mr.  Russell  having  accepted  the  invitation,  March  16, 
1796,  was  fixed  for  his  ordination,  and  a  committee 
charged  with  the  proper  preparations.  The  time  ap- 
pointed for  the  ceremony  having  arrived,  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Morse,  of  Charlestown,  introduced  the  solemnities  with 
prayer;  Rev.  Mr.  Backus  of  Somers,  delivered  a  sermon 
from  Matthew,  xvi,  26,  "For  what  is  a  man  profited, 
if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  soul  ? 
or  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul?" — 
Rev.  Dr.  Thacher,  of  Boston,  made  the  ordaining  pray- 
er ;  Rev.  Mr.  Jackson,  of  Brookline,  gave  the  charge  ; 
Rev.  Mr.  Hubbard,  of  Sterling,  bestowed  the  right  hand 
of  fellowship  ;  Rev.  Dr.  Sumner,  of  Shrewsbury,  offer- 
ed the  concluding  prayer  ;  and  the  exercises  were  closed 
with  an  Anthem.*  •» 

*  "  Voted  that  the  committee  to  provide  for  the  ordaining  counsel  keep  the 
crockery  ware,  knives  and  forks,  &c,  until  the  new  meeting  house  is  raised, 
then  to  dispose  of  them  and  pay  the  money  into  the  town  treasury."  Town 
Records,  Vol.  2. 


CALL    TO    MR.    MURDOCH.  105 

The  church  and  society  continued  to  worship  in  the 
old  meeting  house  until  April,  1797,  when,  the  new  house 
being  completed,  it  was  dedicated.  An  appropriate  dis- 
course was  preached  by  the  pastor  on  the  occasion. 
About  the  same  time,  the  Hon.  Moses  Gill  presented  to 
the  church,  a  flagon,  tankard,  two  pewter  and  two  sil- 
ver cups,  for  the  communion  table.  It  was  also  voted 
to  "  introduce  Dr.  Watts'  Psalms  and  Hymns"  as  a  sub- 
stitute for  the  Psalms  before  used.  Mr.  Ebenezer,  Par- 
ker was,  on  the  23th  of  November,  1800,  elected  to  the 
office  of  Deacon,  vice  Deacon  Howe,  deceased. 

Mr.  Russell  continued  to  perform  the  duties  of  his 
office,  to  the  general  acceptance  of  his  people,  until  Sep- 
tember 12,  1801,  when  he  requested  a  dismission,  alleg- 
ing as  a  reason,  that  he  was  unable,  on  the  account  of 
the  precarious  state  of  his  health,  to  apply  himself  to 
study  with  that  assiduity,  which  his  engagements  indis- 
pensably required.  After  some  unwillingness  and  delay 
on  the  part  of  the  town  to  grant  the  request  of  their  pas- 
tor, he  was  finally  dismissed. 

A  short  time  subsequent  to  his  dismission  from  Prince- 
ton, Mr.  Russell  removed  to  Troy,  and  has  since  been 
engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits. 

The  Rev.  James  Murdock,  was  engaged  to  preach  to 
the  church  and  society  in  Princeton  after  the  dismission 
of  Mr.  Russell  ;  and  on  the  18th  of  March,  1802  the 
church  unanimously  requested  his  permanent  settlement 
as  their  pastor.  The  concurrence  of  the  town  was  given 
to  this  call  on  the  5th  of  April  following,  with  only  a 
single  dissenting  voice.  The  stated  salary  was  $366, 
67,  the  improvement  of  a  farm  previously  purchased  by 
the  town  as  a  parsonage,*  and  twenty  cords  of  wood  an- 

*  The  present  residence  and  farm  of  Mr.  David  H.  Gregory. 

10 


106  ORDINATION    OF    REV.    MR.    MURDOCK. 

nually.     To  this  invitation  Mr.  Murdock  returned  an  af- 
firmative answer. 

The  ordination  services  took  place  June  23d,  1802, 
The  introductory  prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  Hezekiah 
Goodrich  of  Rutland  ;  sermon  by  Rev.  Jonathan  Mur- 
dock of  Bozrah,  Conn.,  from  1  Peter,  i :  xvii, — "  Which 
things  the  angels  desire  to  look  into''  ;  ordaining  prayer 
by  Rev.  Joseph  Sumner,  D.  D.,  of  Shrewsbury  ;  the 
charge  by  Rev.  Asaph  Rice  of  Westminster  ;  the  right 
hand  of  fellowship  by  Rev.  Joseph  Avery  of  Holden  ; 
and  the  concluding  prayer  by  Rev.  Reuben  Holcomb,  of 
Sterling.  The  Rev.  William  Nash  of  Boylston  with  the 
church  under  his  charge,  were  also  present  on  this  occa- 
sion. 

During  Mr.  Murdock's  ministry  in  Princeton,  the 
church  was  greatly  strengthened  by  accessions  to  its 
numbers  and  graces  ;  especially  in  the  year  1810,  when, 
through  the  blessing  of  God  on  his  preaching,  a  revival 
of  religion  was  experienced  among  the  people,  and  near- 
ly fifty  were  made  subjects  of  converting  grace.  Of  that 
number  several  are  still  living,  who  remember  the  pe- 
riod with  joyful  emotions.  This  was  the  first  general  re- 
vival after  the  settlement  of  the  town. 

As  a  substitute  for  the  old  church  covenant,  the  follow- 
ing articles  of  faith  and  covenant  were,  after  due  delib- 
eration, adopted  by  the  church  with  great  unanimity,* 
Nov.  1,  1810. 

1.  "  You  believe  that  there  is  one  God,  the  creator  and  propri- 
etor of  all  worlds,  a  being  of  infinite    power,    wisdom,  justice, 

*"  Those  who  voted  in  the  negative"  say  the  church  records,  "  declared, 
that  they  fully  approved  both  the  Articles  and  Confession,  except  that  they 
could  not  see  fit  to  require  any  acknowledgements  of  particular  sins,  as  in  the 
parenthesis  in  the  first  section  of  the  Covenant,  though  they  were  willing  that 
all  candidates  for  admission  who  felt  disposed  should  make  such  acknowledge, 
monts." 


CHURCH    COVENANT.  107 


goodness  and  truth  ;  the  self-existent,   independent   and   un- 
changeable fountain  of  all  good. 

"2.  You  believe  that  the  scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Tes- 
tament were  written  by  inspiration  of  God  ;  and  that  they  con- 
tain a  complete  and  harmonious  system  of  religious  truths  and 
precepts,  by  which  we  ought  to  form  our  doctrinal  belief,  and 
regulate  our  religious  practice. 

3.  "  You  believe,  according  to  the  scriptures,  that  in  the  unity 
of  the  Godhead  there  exists  a  trinity  of  persons,  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost ;  and  these  three  persons  are  one  in  essence, 
and  equal  in  all  divine  attributes. 

4.  "  You  believe  that  God  hath  made  all  things  for  himself ; 
that  he  exercises  a  particular  providence  over  all  worlds,  and 
regulates  and  governs  all  things,  according  to  the  holy  and  un- 
changeable counsels  of  his  own  wisdom  and  goodness. 

5.  "  You  believe  that  the  law  of  God,  the  principles  and  whole 
administration  of  the  divine  government,  are  perfectly  holy,  just 
and  good. 

6.  "  You  believe  that  our  first  parents  were  originally  holy  and 
happy  in  the  enjoyment  of  God's  favor,  till  by  voluntarily  trans- 
gressing in  the  garden,  they  fell  from  their  original  state,  lost 
the  image  and  favor  of  God,  and  became  proper  subjects  of 
everlasting  condemnation. 

7.  "  You  believe  that  the  apostacy  of  our  first  parents  in- 
volved all  their  offspring  in  its  dreadful  consequences,  so  that  • 
till  renewed  by  the  power  of  God,  all  the  sons  and  daughters  of 
Adam  are  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins — have  carnal  minds, 
which  are  at  emnity  against  God — and  do  live  in  the  habitual 
violation  of  all  his  commands ;  for  which  reason  they  are  proper 
subjects  of  everlasting  condemnation. 

8.  "  You  believe  that  God,  out  of  his  mere  good  pleasure,  and 
to  manifest  the  riches  of  his  mercy,  has  devised  a  plan  of  re- 
demption; that  in  fulfilment  of  this  gracious  plan,  the  Son  of 
God  became  incarnate,  lived  a  life  of  holy  obedience  on  earth, 
suffered  and  died  on  the  cross,  (as  is  stated  in  the  scriptures)  and 
thus  made  infinite  atonement  for  sin,  and  laid  a  foundation  for 
the  free  pardon  and  complete  salvation  of  every  penitent  believer 
in  him. 

9.  "  You  believe  that  all  who  hear  the  gospel  are  invited  to 
come  and  share  in  the  salvation  which  is  by  Jesus  Christ,  and 
that  whosoever  will,  may  come  and  take  of  this  water  of  life 
freely ;  yet  such  is  the  perversity  and  opposition  of  the  carnal 
heart  to  God  and  to  the  gospel,  that  none  will  come  to  Christ, 
till  the  Father,  by  the  special  regenerating  influence  of  his  Ho- 
ly Spirit,  draw  them. 

10.  "  You  believe  that  those  who  embrace  the  gospel  were 


108  CHURCH    COVENANT. 

chosen  in  Christ  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  unto  salva- 
tion through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit  and  belief  of  the  truth  ; 
and  that  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  third  person  in  the  trinity,  whose 
office  it  is,  does  regenerate  and  afterwards  dwell  in  all  the  heirs 
of  salvation,  working  in  them  both  to  will  and  to  do,  according 
to  the  good  pleasure  of  God. 

11.  "  You  believe  that  there  is  no  condemnation  to  them  who 
have  believed  in  Christ  Jesus  ;  but  notwithstanding  their  weak- 
ness and  inability  of  themselves  to  stand,  they  are  kept  by  the 
mighty  power  of  God,  through  faith,  unto  salvation. 

12.  "  You  believe  that  Christ  has  a  visible  church  on  earth, 
into  which  all  his  real  disciples  and  they  only,  ought  to  be  ad- 
mitted ;  that  the  members  of  a  particular  church  are  required  to 
watch  over,  counsel  and  assist  each  other  as  brethren  ;  and  that 
if  any  walk  disorderly  and  will  not  be  reclaimed,  they  ought  to 
be  cut  off  from  the  church. 

13.  li  You  believe  that  the  Sacraments  of  the  New  Testament 
are  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper;  that  believers  of  regular 
church  standing  only,  consistently  partake  of  the  sacred  Sup- 
per ;  and  that  believers,  together  with  their  households,  and  they 
only,  can  be  consistently  admitted  to  the  ordinance  of  Baptism. 

14.  "You  believe  that  at  the  second  coming  of  Christ  there 
will  be  a  general  resurrection  of  the  bodies  both  of  the  just  and 
of  the  unjust;  that  the  whole  human  race  will  then  stand  be- 
fore the  judgment-seat  of  Christ,  to  receive  sentence  according 
to  the  deeds  done  in  the  body ;  and  that  from  the  judgment- 
seat  the  wicked  will  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment,  but 
the  righteous  into  life  eternal. 

"  Do  you  without  reserve,  avow  this  to  be  your  real  belief?' 

The  following  covenant  was  subscribed  : 

"  You,  in  obedience  to  the  gracious  invitations  of  the  gospel, 
do  now,  with  religious  fear,  approach  the  living  God,  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  take  upon  you  Ins  everlasting  Covenant. 
And  in  the  first  place,  you  come  and  lay  yourself  at  the  i'eet  of 
God,  as  a  guilty  rebel,  begging  for  mercy.  Before  God,  angels, 
and  men,  you  confess  with  grief  and  self  abasement  that 
were  conceived  in  sin,  and  shapen  in  iniquity;  that  you  have 
been  an  enemy  to  God  and  to  his  holy  government,  and  1  ave 
abused  his  long  suffering,  and  slighted  his  gracious  offers  of 
pardon  and  eternal  life.  You  come  before  him,  from  your  very 
soul  ashamed  of  yourself.  You  blush  and  are  ashamed  to  lift  up 
your  face  unto  God,  yea,  even  confounded  at  the  remembrance 
of  your  innumerable  sins  and  immense  criminality.  Particular- 
ly you  come  mourning  for  your  open  and   scandalous  violations 


CHURCH    COVENANT.  109 

of  the  1st  2d  3d  &c,  commandments,  or  for  your  (here  mention 
1st  Atheism,  infidelity,  opposition  to  the  cross  of  Christ.  2d„ 
Neglect  or  profanation  of  God's  worship  and  ordinances.  3d. 
Profanity,  and  irreverence  for  things  sacred.  4th.  Profanation 
and  violation  of  the  Sabbath.  5th.  Disobedience  to  parents, 
disrespect  and  undutiful  carriage  towards  superiors,  pride,  and 
overbearing  or  unkind  behavior  towards  inferiors.  6th.  Indul- 
gence of  angry,  malicious,  revengeful  passions,  or  of  a  quarrel- 
some, contentious,  unmerciful  and  unforgiving  temper.  7th. 
Unchaste,  filthy  conversation  and  behaviour,  whoredom,  adulte- 
ry, revilings,  drunkenness.  8th.  Theft,  robbery,  extortion, 
cheating,  oppressions  of  the  poor,  the  widow  or  fatherless  ;  dis- 
honesty, prodigality.  9th.  Perjury,  lying,  backbiting,  talebear- 
ing. JOth.  Covetousness,  envy,  avarice,  selfishness  ;  or  any 
other  sin  which  may  be  thought  proper.)  And  you  do  now,  as 
you  humbly  hope  and  tru3t,  with  unfeigned  sorrow,  approach  the 
heart  searching  God,  and  cast  yourself  down  before  the  throne  as 
a  guilty  helpless  sinner,  supplicating  for  pardon  and  eternal  life 
through  the  atoning  blood  of  the  Lamb.  And  you  moreover  call 
Heaven  and  Earth  to  witness,  that  you  this  day  avouch  the  Lord 
Jehovah,  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost,  to  be  your  God  and  por- 
tion, and  give  up  yourself,  soul  and  body,  to  him  in  everlasting 
covenant ;  that  you  consecrate  all  your  powers  and  faculties,  and 
all  your  worldly  possessions,  to  his  service  and  glory;  and  sol- 
emnly promise,  in  dependence  on  divine  grace  and  assistance, 
'without  which  you  can  do  nothing)  that  henceforth, renouncing 
all  other  Lords  and  forsaking  every  sinful  way,  you  will  love  and 
serve  and  cleave  to  the  Lord  your  God,  as  your  chief  good  and 
your  everlasting  portion  ;  thai  you  will  walk  humbly  and  peni- 
tently beiore  him,  in  all  things  seeking  the  honor  of  his  name 
and  the  interest  of  his  kingdom;  that  you  will  submit  yourself 
unreservedly  to  his  government,  and  labor  to  keep  all  his  holy 
commandments  ;  that  you  will  daily  seek  communion  with  him 
in  private,  and  will  regularly  attend  family  and  public  worship, 
and  all  divine  ordinances,  so  far  as  you  shall  have  opportunity; 
that  you  will  give  diligent  heed  to  the  suggestions  and  influ- 
ences of  his  Holy  Spirit,  and  study  not  to  grieve  that  blessed 
Comforter  to  depart  from  you ;  that  you  will  continually  look 
unto  Jesus  Christ  as  your  example,  your  Lord,  your  strength  and 
your  Redeemer  ;  and  that  denying  all  ungodliness  and  every 
worldly  lust,  you  will  henceforth  make  it  your  great  and  con- 
stant care  to  live  soberly,  righteously  and  godly  in  this  present 
evil  world,  till  it  shall  please  God,  in  his  infinite  mercy  to  take 
you  to  himself.  And  you  do  here  publicly  before  God,  and  with 
a  desire  to  serve  him,  join  yourself  to  this  as  a  true  church.  You 
promise  to  walk  with  this  church  in  the  faith  and  order  of  the 

10* 


110  MR.  murdock's  dismission. 

gospel,  engaging,  unreservedly,  to  submit  yourself  to  its  disci- 
pline, so  far  as  conformable  to  the  rules  of  the  gospel.  You 
promise  to  attend  all  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel,  and  the  sac- 
raments of  the  New  Testament  with  us  ;  and  to  strive  as  much 
as  in  you  lies  to  promote  the  peace,  the  edification  and  the  pu- 
rity of  this  church,  to  which  you  now  make  these  solem  covenant 
engagements." 

Dr.  Murdock  continued  minister  of  the  town  for  twelve 
years.  The  connection  of  pastor  and  parish  had  been 
one  of  uninterrupted  harmony.  The  intimation  of  his 
intention  to  remove,  upon  being  appointed  Professor  o' 
the  Learned  Languages  in  the  University  of  Vermont,  at 
Burlington,  was  received  with  regret  that  circumstances 
had  led  to  this  result.  The  church,  however,  unani- 
mously complied  with  the  following  request  of  their  pas- 
tor : — 

"  My  beloved  brethren — The  University  of  Vermont 
havincr  elected  me  to  the  office  of  Professor  of  the  Learned 
Languages  in  their  College  at  Burlington:  and  the  sala- 
ry  which  the  town  has  been  pleased  to  afford  me  having 
become  quite  inadequate  to  the  support  of  my  family,  I 
um  induced  to  request  that  you  would  unite  with  the 
town  and  myself  in  calling  a  mutual  ecclesiastical  Coun- 
cil to  which  we  may  refer  the  very  interesting  question 
of  my  dismission,  and  which  shall  have  power  to  dissolve 
the  connexion  between  us  if  they  shall  judge  a  separa- 
tion to  be  expedient  and  proper. 
"I  am  Dear  Brethren, 

Your  affectionate  friend  and  Pastor. 

JAMES   MURDOCK. 
Princeton,  Oct.  2d,  1815." 

The  town  having  declined  to  unite  with  the  church 
and  pastor  Mr.  Murdock  solicited  the  church  to  unite 
with  him  in  calling  a   council  according  to   one   of  the 


Mr.  murdock's  dismission.  Ill 

stipulations  made  at  his  settlement.  With  this  request 
the  church  complied,  one  only  declining  to  vote.  Con- 
sequently the  council  convened  at  the  house  of  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Murdock  Oct.  11,  1815,  and,  after  considering  the 
reason  offered  in  the  above  communication  which  relates 
to  salary,  decided  that  this  was  not  a  sufficient  reason 
why  a  dissolution  should  take  place — as  the  town  in  all 
probability  would  increase  their  pastor's  salary  if  applied 
to.  "But  in  consideration  of  the  vast  importance," 
says  the  Result  of  Council,  "  of  those  institutions  in 
which  young  men  are  educated  for  the  ministry  and  for 
all  the  higher  offices  in  society,  the  uniform  practice  in 
New  England  since  its  settlement  to  dismiss  Pastors  to 
fill  the  office  of  President  and  Professors  in  our  Colleges, 
when  called  to  it,  the  great  want  of  ministers  at  the  pre- 
sent day,  the  deep  interest  which  the  Church  in  particu- 
lar must  feel  in  the  infant  University  of  Vermont,  the  pe- 
culiar and  eminent  qualifications  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mur- 
dock for  the  office  to  which  he  is  elected,  and  the  pros- 
pect of  his  being  more  extensively  useful  by  a  removal, 
we  do  think  he  is  called  in  the  providence  of  God  to  leave 
the  people  to  whom  he  is  justly  so  dear  ;  we  do  there- 
fore judge  it  expedient  that  he  be  dismissed  from  his  pas- 
toral relations  to  this  church  and  he  is  hereby  dismissed. 
While  we  sympathise  with  this  Church  and  People  under 
the  removal  of  a  Pastor  they  so  highly  esteem,  we  are 
no  less  happy  in  being  able  to  express  our  unqualified  ap- 
probation of  the  conduct  of  the  church  on  this  tender 
subject.  The  respect  and  kindness  which  both  the 
Church  and  People  have  shown  to  their  minister,  and  the 
pleasing  union  and  harmony,  which  subsist  among  them, 
excite  a  pleasing  hope  and  confident  expectation,  that 
they  will  make  speedy  and  successful    exertions  for  the 


112  BIOGRAPHICAL    NOTICE. 

re-settlement  of  the  gospel  ministry,  and  know  from  long 
and  happy  experience  how  good  and  how  pleasant  it  is 
for  brethren  to  dwell  together  in  unity.  We  affection- 
ately commend  this  Church  and  people  and  their  late 
Pastor  with  his  family  to  the  mercy  and  grace  of  God 
and  devoutly  implore  for  them  the  benediction  of 
Heaven." 

In  complying  with  the  "Result"  of  the  Ecclesiastical 
Council  which  dissolved  the  connection  of  their  Pastor, 
the  church  and  town  strongly  expressed  affection  for  his 
person,  respect  for  his  character,  and  gratitude  for  his 
services. 

The  Rev.  James  Murdock,  D.  D.,  was  born  at  Say- 
brook,  Conn.,  Feb.  16,  1776.  Pie  graduated  at  Yale 
College,  1797.  During  the  three  or  four  years  follow- 
ing he  was  engaged  as  a  preceptor,  "  first  in  the  public 
grammar-school  at  New  Haven,  and  afterward  in  Hamil- 
ton Oneida  Academy.'"  Afier  leaving  his  official  station 
in  Princeton,  he  entered  immediately  on  his  new  sphere 
of  duty  in  the  University  of  Vermont.  In  1819  he  was 
elected  to  the  Brown  Professorship  of  Sacred  Rhetoric 
and  Ecclesiastical  History  in  the  Theological  Seminary 
at  Andover,  where  he  remained  until  October,  1828, 
when  he  removed  to  New  Haven,  where  he  has  since  re- 
sided, devoting  himself  to  the  pursuit  of  ecclesiastical 
history.* 

*  Some  of  the  publications  of  Dr.  Murdock,  are  the  following  :  I,  Sermon 
on  the  nature  of  the  Atonement,  delivered  at  Andover,  1823.  2.  Elements  of 
Dogmatic  History,  translated  from  the  German  of  Professor  Wm.  Muenscher 
of  Marpurg,  1vol.  12  mo.,  New  Haven,  1830.  3.  Translation  of  Dr.  Moschim's 
Institute  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  3  vols.  8  vo,  New  Haven,  1832. 


ATTEMPTS  TO  SETTLE  MR.  CLARKE.         113 


CHAPTER  YIN. 

Religions  Divisions — Attempt  to  settle  Rev.  Mr.  Clarke— Remonstrance  of  the 
Church— Church  has  a  right  to  choose  its  own  Pastor— Mr.  Clarke's  Re- 
ply to  Call— Second  effort  of  the  Town  to  settle  Mr.  Clarke— His  Reply- 
Petition  circulated  through  theTowa— Call  of  Mutual  Council— Its  Re- 
sult—Protest  of  the  Minority— Mr.  Clarke's  Covenant— Third  Call  of  the 
Town  to  Mr.  Clarke— His  Reply  and  Settlement. 

After  the  dismission  of  Rev.  Dr.  Murdock,  but  a  short 
time  elapsed,  before  the  committee  of  the  Town,  appoint- 
ed to  supply  the  pulpit,  invited  Rev.  Samuel  Clarke  to 
preach  as  a  candidate  for  settlement.  From  that  period, 
differences  of  opinion  on  religious  doctrine,  commenced 
development,  which,  in-  their  progress,  produced  division 
in  the  parent  parish,  and  extended  their  distracting  influ- 
ence over  civil,  municipal,  social,  and  private  affairs. 
It  was  soon  ascertained  that  Mr.  Clarke  preached  a  dif- 
ferent doctrine  from  his  predecessor,  and  from  that  pro- 
fessed by  the  church  ;  yet  it  appears  that  it  was  congenial 
with  the  sentiments  and  feelings  of  a  majority  of  the 
citizens,  but  not  of  the  church. 

A  meeting  was  convened  on  the  25th  of  Juno,  1816, 
when,  in  accordance  with  an  article  inserted  in  the  war- 
rant, the  committee*  to  supply  the  pulpit  were  instructed, 
48  to  44,  "  to  request  Mr.  Samuel  Clarke  to  return  and 
preach  farther  with  them  in  order  for  a  settlement."  At 
the  request  of  Mr.  Clarke's  friends,  a  meeting  of  the 
inhabitants  was  warned  to  be  held  on  the  26th  of  August 
following,  to  give  him  a  call  to  settle  with  them  in  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  when  the  vote  stood — for  the  can- 

*  We  have  been  credibly  informed  that  it  was  stated  in  open  town  meeting 
by  one  of  the  leading  friends  of  Mr.  Clarke,  that  it  was  their  design,  in  select- 
ing a  committee  to  supply  the  pulpit,  to  elect  such  as  they  knew  would  not 
employ  a  Calvinist. 


114       ATTEMPTS  TO  SETTLE  MR.  CLARKE, 

didate  102,  against  44.     At  the  same  time,  a  committee* 

was  also  appointed  to  request  the  Deacons  of  the  church 
to  call  a  church  meeting,  to  see  if  they  would  concur  in 

this  invitation.  Accordingly  the  church,  as  a  distinct 
body,  respectable  in  point  of  numbers,!  met  on  the  2d 
of  September,  and  by  a  large  majority,  19  to  8,  refused 
to  unite  in  this  call  to  Mr.  Clarke. 

The  town,  not  satisfied  with  the  action  of  the  church, 
subsequently  made  the  second  ineffectual  attempt  to  pro- 
cure their  concurrence,  when  the  vote  stood — for  con- 
currence 8,  against  21.  From  this  time,  it  appears  that 
the  town  resolved  to  proceed  independent  of  the  church, 
and,  disregarding,  their  rights  and  privileges,  to  impose 
upon  them  a  pastor  whose  sentiments  they  greatly  disap- 
proved and  whose  ministry  they  could  never  conscientious- 
ly attend.  Accordingly,  they  communicated  their  inten- 
tions to  Mr.  Clarke,  requesting  him  to  settle  with  them 
in  the  gospel  ministry,  and  at  the  same  time  proposing 
to  give  him  an  annual  salary  of  $600.  The  church,  on 
the  other  hand,  forwarded  the  followigg  strong,  but  re- 
spectful remonstrance  to  Mr.  Clarke,  against  his  accept- 
ing the  call  of  the  town  : 

"  To  Mr.  Samuel  Clarke,  candidate  Jor  the  Gospel  Ministry. 

"Dear  Sir: — The  Church  of  Christ  in  Princeton,  being  appri- 
sed of  the  call  you  have  received  from  the  town  of  Princeton  to 
settle  with  them  in  the  work  ot  the  gospel  ministry,  take  the 
liberty  to  address  you  on  the  subject,  to  which  we  invite  your 
serious  and  candid  attention.  However  much  we  may  need  a 
minister  of  the  gospel  to  reside  among  us ;  and  however  desirous 
we  may  be  to  obtain  one  who  shall  preach  to  us  and  to  our 
children  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ,  yet  we  cannot  con- 
sent to  receive  one  under  such  circumstances  and  with  such 
prospects  as  are  now  presented  to  our  view.  We  are  brought 
to  this  conclusion  not  through  disaffection  to  your  person,  nor 

*  Abijah  Harrington.  f  Thirty-four  male  members. 


REMONSTRANCE    OF    CHURCH.  115 

any  deficiency  in  your  abilities,  or  any  fault  we  find  in  your 
moral  character ;  but  especially  for  the  following  reasons,  which 
are  with  us  of  primary  consideration,  and  which  we  presume 
you  cannot  view  with  indifference.  We  present  them  to  you 
distinctly.  The  first  is,  because  we  cannot  consent  to  give  up 
our  rights  and  privileges,  and  sanction  the  irregularity  of  receiv- 
ing a  minister  in  whose  call  and  settlement  we  have  not  a  prima- 
ry and  distinct  choice. 

"We  understand  it  to  have  been  the  invariable  custom  of 
the  New-England  churches,  in  their  earlier  and  better  days, 
and  which  has  not  till  of  late  been  disregarded,  in  the  fi.st  place 
to  make  choice  of  their  own  minister,  and  then  to  invite  the 
town  or  parish  to  concur  in  their  election  and  call,  and  to  aid 
in  the  settlement.  This  is  the  practice  to  which  we  have  ever 
been  accustomed,  and  which  we  view  as  our  natural,  inherent 
right,  founded  in  reason  and  the  sacred  principles  of  Christianity, 
and  which  we  are,  at  present  by  no  means  prepared  to  surrender. 
We  hold  it  as  an  unquestionable  truth,  that  every  church  of 
Christ  has  an  inalienable  right  to  choose  its  own  pastor  and 
teacher;  and  that  the  exercise  of  this  right  is  conducive  to  the 
prosperity  of  religion  and  the  welfare  of  civil  society,  while  the 
denial  or  suspension  of  it  is  of  the  most  inauspicious  tendency. 
We  cannot  therefore  view  with  indifference  the  introduction  of 
a  different  practice  among  our  churcehs,  nor  without  the  deep- 
est concern  the  attempt  to  introduce  it  in  this  place,  by  the 
circumstances  of  the  call  with  which  you  have  been  presented. 

"The  other  reason  why  we  cannot  consent  to  receive  you  as 
our  minister,  is  because  we  are  not  satisfied  with  the  doctrines 
which  you  have  preached  and  which  it  is  presumed  you  will 
continue  to  preach,  should  you  be  settled  here.  However  cor- 
rect you  may  view  yourself,  and  however  many  good  things 
you  may  say,  yet  we  are  constrained  to  think  that  your  scheme 
of  doctrine  is  not  fundamentally  that  which  is  revealed  in  the 
Holy  Scriptures.  Without  any  impeachment  of  your  honesty 
we  must  view  the  gospel  which  you  preach  to  be  radically  a 
different  thing  from  that  preached  by  Christ  and  his  apostles, 
and  which  the  primitive  and  reformed  churches  received.  It  is 
with  no  small  concern  we  have  viewed  the  attempt  recently 
made  in  our  own  country  to  alter  and  mutilate  the  sacred  rec- 
ords of  our  faith  ;  to  lower  down  the  character  of  our  divine 
and  adorable  Saviour  to  that  of  a  mere  man  or  of  a  mere  crea- 
ture ;  and  to  subvert  the  foundation  of  our  heavenly  hopes,  laid 
in  the  sacrifice  of  atonement  offered  on  the  cross.  We  wish 
not  to  have  a  scheme  of  religion,  of  whi;h  these  are  some  of 
the  leading  principles,  preached  in  this  place.  However  many 
apparently  good  things  may  be  mixed  with  it,  we  are  fully  per- 


116  REMONSTRANCE    OF    CHURCH. 

suaded  that  it  will  not  conduce  to  our  own  edification,  to  they 
good  of  our  children,  nor  to  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  people 
in  this  town. 

"  For  these  reasons,  sir,  we  are  constrained  to  dissent  from  the 
call  you  have  received  from  the  Town,  and  respectfully  to  re- 
monstrate against  your  settlement  in  this  place  in  the  character 
of  a  gospel  minister.  We  hope  you  will  take  these  things  into 
serious  and  prayerful  consideration,  and  act,  in  the  view  of 
them,  as  wisdom  and  prudence  may  direct.  We  entertain  a 
good  degree  of  confidence  that  you  will  not,  by  an  acceptance 
of  the  call,  sanction  the  irregularity  under  which  it  has  been 
obtained  and  presented,  and  thus  aid  in  depriving  us  of  our 
rights,  and  in  breaking  down  the  walls  which  separate  the 
church  of  Christ  from  the  world  ;  and  that  you  will  not  suffer 
yourself  to  be  obtruded  upon  us  not  only  without,  but  against 
our  consent.  Should  you  be  settled  here  under  existing  cir- 
cumstances, you  must  it  seems,  be  sensible  of  the  critical  sit- 
uation in  which  you  will  be  placed,  and  be  destitute  of  that 
prospect  of  harmony  and  usefulness  which  ought  to  have  a 
weighty  and  governing  influence  with  those  who  engage  in 
the  arduous  and  highly  responsible  work  of  the  gospel  ministry. 
Our  hope  and  request  is,  that  you  will  speedily  negative  the 
call  you  have  received  from  the  town  of  Princeton." 

Such  were  the  objections  presented  to  Mr.  Clarke  by 
a  very  large  majority  of  the  church.  Of  the  validity  of 
the  first,  it  is  due  to  that  majority  to  state  that  the  set- 
tlers of  New  England  adopted  the  congregational  sys- 
tem as  their  ecclesiastical  constitution,  and  early  intro- 
duced the  "  Cambridge  Platform."  In  that  Platform 
the  following  declarations  are  found  :  "  Officers  are  to 
be  called  by  such  churches  whereunto  they  are  to  minis- 
ter. Of  such  moment  is  the  preservation  of  this  power, 
that  the  churches  exercised  it  in  the  presence  of  the 
apostles.  The  power  granted  by  Christ  unto  the  body 
of  the  church  and  brotherhood,  is  a  prerogative  or  priv- 
ilege which  the  church  does  exercise,  in  choosing  their 
own  officers,  whether  elders  or  deacons."*  Cotton  Ma- 
ther who  wrote  the  early    ecclesiastical    history    of  the 

*  Chap.  viii.  Sec.  5,  and  Chap.  z.  Sec.  5. 


RIGHT    TO    CHOOSE    PASTORS.  117 

congregationalists,  quotes  the  following  conclusions  ex- 
pressive of  the   sentiments   of  an  Assembly  of  Congre- 
gational ministers  who  were  convened  at   Cambridge,  in 
the  early  days  of  our  country  .  "A   body  of  Christians 
associated   for  all    the  ordinances    of  the   gospel,  are  a 
church  of  our  glorious  Lord   which   have  among    other 
precious  privileges,  a  right  from  Him  to  choose  their  oicn 
pastors.     The  churches  which  have  recovered  this  right 
from  the  oppression  of  man,  under  which  many  churches 
of  the  reformation  are  to  this  day  groaning,  ought  to  keep 
the  precepts  and  the  favors  of  the  Lord,  and  not  easily  part 
with  what  he  has  given  them.     To  introduce  a  practice 
in  the  choice  of  a  pastor  which  being  followed,  may  soon 
bring  a  pastor  to  be  chosen  for  a  church,  which  few  yea 
noraeofthe  church  have  voted  for,  would  be  to  betray  and 
even  destroy  a  most  valuable  right  that  such  a  society  has 
a  claim  unto;  and  many  evil  consequences  are    to  be  ex- 
pected from  it."     To  these  quotations  Mr.  Mather  adds, 
this  pertinent   remark, — "  'Tis    very   certain,   that    the 
right  of  a  church  to  choose  its  own  pastor  was  recognized 
and  exercised  in  all  the  times  of  primitive  Christianity  ; 
yea  'twas    one  of  the   last  things  that    the    man   of  sin 
ravished  from  the  people  of  God.     The  taking  away  of 
this  privilege  from  the  people,  is  by  Calvin  justly  called 
impia  spoliatio,   a    spoil    impiously   committed    on    the 
church  of  God."* 

We  add  one  extract  more  from  the  Result  of  an  Ec-^ 
clesiastical  Council  at  Sandwich,  relative  to  the  usages 
of  the  early  New-England  Churches: — "  It  is  a  truth  of 
sufficient  importance  to  be  repeated,  and  too  clear  to  be 
contested,  that  the  church  is  a  distinct  body,  independent 
of  the  parish  for  its  existence  and  for   the  exercise  of  its 

Ratio  Discipline,  pp.  16,  17.26. 
11 


118  RIGHT    OF    THE    CHURCH. 

rights.  Churches  are  of  divine  institution,  and  subject 
to  the  laws  of  Christ ;  parishes  are  of  human  establish- 
ment, and  subject  to  human  laws.  Among  the  inherent 
and  essential  rights  of  a  church,  the  right  of  electing  its 
own  pastor  is  one  of  the  last  to  be  surrendered.  By  the 
same  divine  authority  by  which  churches  are  instituted, 
it  is  ordained  that  they  should  have  pastors.  The  sa- 
cred pastoral  office  is  not  of  man,  but  of  God.  There  is 
evidence  most  authentic  and  abundant,  that  in  the  primi- 
tive times,  the  right  of  churches  to  elect  their  own  pas- 
tors was  universally  exercised  and  held  most  sacred  ; 
and  as  emphatically  said  by  one  of  the  fathers  of  New- 
England,  ( it  was  one  of  the  last  things  that  the  Man  of 
Sin,  ravished  from  the  people  of  God.'  This  right  is 
distinctly  asserted  by  the  Platform  of  our  churches, 
which  for  a  long  course  of  years  has  had  the  sanction  of 
our  legislative  and  judicial  authorities;  and  from  the 
earliest  periods  of  our  history  it  has  been  exercised 
throughout  New-England,  with  very  few  exceptions  and 
very  little  interruption."* 

It  is  true  that  the  usages  of  the  church  varied  some- 
what  at  different  periods.  Under  the  Colonial  govern- 
ment the  election  of  a  gospel  minister  was  exclusively 
with  the  church,  and  none,  but  members  were  permitted 
to  exercise  "the  right  of  suffrage  in  any  important  con- 
cern." Under  the  Provincial  government,  the  congre- 
gation were  admitted  to  a  concurrent  vote  in  the  settle- 
ment of  a  minister, — the  right  of  the  church  to  proceed 
and  elect  their  own  pastor  being  preserved  inviolate. 
Under  the  constitution  and  laws  of  the  commonwealth  of 
Massachusetts,  the  riohts  of  the  town  or  concrrearation 
were  enlarged  and  those  of  the  church  somewhat  inv» 

*  Panoplist,  vol,  xiii.  pp.  277, 278. 


mr.  Clarke's  reply.  119 

paired  ;  but  still  the  right  of  the  church  to  elect  its  own 
minister  was  not  taken  away.  "  The  mode  of  settling 
ministers,"  said  the  venerable  Judge  Sedgwick,  "  has 
continued  in  every  respect  the  same,  since  the  establish- 
ment of  the  constitution  as  it.  was  before."  The  law 
indeed  gave  a  town  or  parish  a  civil  right  to  elect  their 
own  minister;  but  when  chosen,  he  was  a  mere  civil 
officer  or  teacher,  and  not  a  minister  of  the  gospel. 

Concerning  the  second  objection  in  the  remonstrance 
of  the  church  to  the  settlement  of  Mr.  Clarke,  we  need 
not  remark.  The  fact  that  he  preached  a  doctrine,  es- 
sentially differing  from  that  which,  in  their  view,  was 
revealed  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  was  sufficient  to  author- 
ize them  in  their  refusal  to  receive  him  as  their  pastor.* 

As  might  be  expected  from  a  candidate,  for  the  im- 
portant work  of  the  gospel  ministry,  on  receiving  such  a 
remonstrance  from  the  church,  Mr.  Clarke  negatived  the 
call  of  the  town,  on  the  30th  of  September.  The  follow- 
ing is  an  extract  from  his  letter  declining  said  invitation; 
— "  The  first  reason  I  have  to  offer  for  not  complying 
with  your  invitation  is  that  there  appears  to  be  that 
want  of  unanimity  and  harmony  in  your  proceedings 
which  are  desirable  and  necessary  in  the  settlement  of  a 
minister,  I  do  not  feel  willing  to  settle  under  so  great 
an  opposition  when  compared  with  the  number  in  my 
favor.  Had  I  any  reason  to  suppose  that  in  case  I  should 
settle  with  you,  most  of  those  who  are  now  opposed  to 
me  would  attend  upon  my  religious  instructions,  treat 
me  with  friendship  and  christian  love  and  strive  to  pro- 
mote the  union  and  welfare  of  the  Town,  this  objection 

*  By  a  vote  of  the  church  Thursday,  the  20th  day  of  December  was  set  apart 
as  a  day  of  public  fasting  andprayer^  Rev.  E.  Blackwood  of  Westborougfe 
preached  on  the  occasion. 


120  mr.  clarke's  reply. 

would  be  done  away  ;  but  from  conversation  I  had  with 
some  of  them,  before  leaving  Princeton  and  from  a  re- 
monstrance which  has  been  handed  lo  me  from  the 
church,  I  have  reason  to  suppose  that  most  of  those  who 
are  opposed  are  determined  not  to  receive  me  as  minis- 
ter of  the  the  town  or  Pastor  of  the  church,  and  conse" 
quently  my  life  would  be  rendered  unhappy,  my  useful- 
ness be  diminished  and  the  peace  of  the  town  in  a  great 
measure  destroyed.  This  reason,  therefore,  has  with 
me  considerable  weight.  Another  reason  for  my  not 
complying  with  your  invitation  is  because  there  are  so 
many  who  appear  to  be  indifferent  towards  me,  who  do 
not  vote  at  all.  I  have  understood  that  there  are  more 
than  two  hundred  voters  in  town.  It  appears  that  only 
one  hundred  and  forty-seven  have  voted  in  this  case, 
forty-four  of  whom  are  opposed  ;  so  that  not  more  than 
one  half  of  the  town  are  really  my  friends.  I  have  always 
considered  that  those  who  did  not  vote  should  be  counted 
on  the  side  of  opposition.  It  was  my  request  and  con- 
stant prayer  while  I  was  with  you,  and  it  was  my  hope, 
that  every  person  would  act  either  for  or  against  me,  so 
that  I  should  be  left  in  no  doubt  respectingthe  mindsof  all; 
and  could  I  now  be  satisfied  that, as  some  have  suggested, 
those  who  did  not  vote  are  my  friends  and  really  wish 
to  have  me  for  their  minister,  my  first  objection  would 
in  a  great  measure  cease  ;  but  so  long  as  so  many  are 
opposed  and  so  many  indifferent  I  shall  feel  unwilling  to 
settle  with  you.  But  my  principal  objection  against 
complying  with  your  invitation  is  that  I  conceive  the  en- 
couragement you  offer  me  is  not  sufficient.  From  what 
I  can  learn  respecting  the  expenses  of  living  the  salary 
you  offer  me  without  any  settlement  or  any  perquisites, 
is  not  sufficient  to  support  a  minister  and  raise  him  above 


SECOND    CALL    AND    REPLY.  l'2i 

pecuniary  embarrassment.  Should  I  ever  be  settled  I 
shall  wish  for  a  competency  and  nothing  more  ;  so  that 
I  may  be  enabled  to  pursue  my  studies  and  attend  to  my 
parish  duties  with  profit  to  myself  and  people,  which 
cannot  be  done  by  those  who  are  obliged  to  attend  to 
otfaef  employments  besides  their  profession  in  order  to 
live  above  embarrassment.  I  have  thus  stated  my  rea- 
sons to  you  fairly  and  candidly,  and  they  are  of  such 
weight  with  me  that  I  have  felt  it  my  duty  to  answer 
your  call  in  the  negative. "* 

The  friends  of  Mr.  Clarke,  not  satisfied  with  what  had 
transpired,  a  town  meeting  was  warned,  to  be  held  on 
the  14th  day  of  October,  to  take  into  consideration  his 
reply.  At  this  meeting  a  committee  was  chosen,  "to 
see  what  further  encouragement  it  would  be  proper  to 
offer  Mr.  Clarke  as  an  inducement  to  settle  in  the  work 
of  the  ministry."  This  committee  reported  in  addition 
to  the  before  stated  salary  the  sum  of  four  hundred  dol- 
lars as  a  "  settlement."  At  the  adjournment,  on  the  16th 
of  the  same  month,  after  a  protracted  debate,  the  report 
was  accepted,  and  the  call  renewed,  when  the  vote 
stood — yeas  66,  nays  59. 

Mr.  Clarke  finding  the  opposition  inflexible,  answered 
the  town  negatively  a  second  time,  on  the  10th  of  No- 
vember. We  subjoin  an  extract  from  his  second  reply  : 
"  For  this  renewed  mark  of  your  respect  and  attach- 
ment be  assured  I  feel  the  highest  gratitude.  But  my 
friends  I  cannot  express  to  you  the  anxiety  I  have  expe- 
rienced since  you  renewed  your  invitation.  It  having 
been  represented  to  me  by  many  that  should  I  settle 
with  you,  those  who  did  not  vote  either  for  or  against 
me,  would  undoubtedly  unite  under  my  instructions,  and 

*  Town  Records. 
11* 


122  PETITION    CIRCULATED. 

» 

that  most  if  not  all  the  opposition  would  cease,  I  felt  it 
my  duty  both  to  you  and  myself  to  return  into  town  and 
satisfy  myself  on  the  subject.  I  have  therefore  taken 
such  measures  for  the  purpose,  as  wisdom  and  prudence 
appeared  to  dictate,  and  have  obtained  sufficient  knowl- 
edge of  the  state  of  the  town  as  to  enable  me  to  come  to 
a  result.  Be  assured  that  this  result  has  not  been  a  hasty 
one.  In  the  presence  of  God  lean  say  that  duty  and 
conscience  have  dictated  it.  I  have  again  concluded  to 
answer  you  in  the  negative.  I  have  been  brought  to  this 
conclusion  from  the  conviction  that  I  can  neither  be 
useful  or  happy  as  your  minister.  If  the  word  of  those 
who  profess  to  be  Christians  can  be  relied  on,  I  am  con- 
vinced that  the  greater  part  of  those  who  are  opposed  to 
me  are  determined  not  to  unite  in  my  settlement  or  at- 
tend on  my  religious  instructions.  I  am  satisfied  too 
that  the  greater  part  of  those  who  have  not  voted,  al- 
though they  cannot  be  said  to  be  opposed,  are  yet  indif- 
ferent ;  that  they  cannot  be  considered  as  my  real  friends 
and  would  for  choice  rather  not  have  me  for  their  teacher. 
I  am  satisfied  also  that  some  who  are  my  real  friends  wish 
me  not  to  stay  under  the  present  gloomy  prospects."* 

On  the  termination  of  the  second  attempt,  it  seems 
that  Mr.  Clarke's  friends  were  still  dissatisfied.  A 
person  was  appointed  to  circulate  a  petition  throughout 
the  town  for  another  meeting,  to  see  if  the  town  would 
renew  their  invitation.  One  hundred  and  five  signatures 
were  obtained.  We  subjoin  the  conclusion  of  this  peti- 
tion,— "  Fearing  the  most  alarming  consequences  if  we 
do  not  succeed  in  inviting  and  encouraging  him  to  settle 
with  us  in  the  Christian  ministry,  we  do  earnestly  en- 
treat you,  once  more,  as  soon  as  may  be,    to  call  a  town 

*  Town  Records. 


CALL    OF    COUNCIL.  123 

meeting,  to  see  if  the  town  will  renew  their  invitation  to 
Mr.  Samuel  Clarke,  to  become  their  Christian  minister.'" 
The  petition  was  addressed  to  the  selectmen,  and  con- 
sequently a  meeting  was  warned,  which  convened  on 
the  llthof  February,  1817.  A  renewal  of  the  invitation 
with  a  request  for  concurrence  on  the  part  of  the  church, 
resulted — yeas  81,  nays  44;  but  no  further  pecuniary 
encouragement  was  offered  to  the  candidate.  The 
church,  however,  by  a  vote  of  twenty  to  six  refused  con- 
currence, and  at  the  same  time  requested  the  town  to 
dismiss  the  idea  of  settling  Mr.  Clarke,  and  to  give  di- 
rections to  their  committee  to  engage  some  other  can- 
didate,  in  whom  it  was  possible  they  might  all  be  united 
and  live  in  harmony. 

To  these  solicitations  of  the  church,  the  town  in  turn 
refused  to  give  heed  ;  but  at  the  adjournment  of  their 
meeting,  on  the  2 1st  of  February,  they  voted  to  refer 
their  troubles  to  an  Ecclesiastical  Council.  With  this 
vote  the  church  concurred,  doutless  in  hope  of  obtaining 
relief.  Letters  missive,  in  the  name  of  the  church  and 
town,  were  accordingly  addressed  to  the  church  in  Wor- 
cester under  the  charge  of  Rev.  Dr.  Bancroft,  the  church 
in  Shrewsbury  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  Dr.  Sumner, 
that  in  Lancaster  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  Nathaniel 
Thayer,  that  in  Rindge,  N.  H.  under  the  charge  ofDr. 
Payson,  and  that  in  Millbury  under  the  charge  of  Rev. 
Joseph  GofTe, — each  of  which  were  represented  by  their 
pastor  and  delegate.  The  Council  assembled  at  Prince- 
ton, March  6,  1817,  and  after  taking  into  consideration 
various  communications  from  the  committees  of  the 
church  and  town  relating  to  the  business  on  which  they 
were  assembled,  came  to  the  following  conclusion  : — 

"  That  by  reason  of  existing  difficulties  in  this  church 


124  ECCLESIASTICAL    COUNCIL. 

and  town ;  and  as  there  is  opened  by  Providence  a  pros- 
pect of  the  re-settlement  of  the  Christian  ministry,  if  a 
spirit  of  mutual  condescension  and  forbearance  is  in  ex- 
ercise ;  this  Council  do,  after  due  deliberation,  and  in  the 
persuasion  that  it  will  be  more  conducive  to  the  restora- 
tion of  union  than  any  other  means  they  can  devise,  of- 
fer for  the  consideration  of  this  church  the  following  ad- 
vice :  That  on  the  seventeenth  day  of  the  present  month, 
the  brethren  of  this  church  be  regularly  notified  to  as- 
semble in  church  meeting;  that  when  assembled,  the 
the  original  covenant*  of  this  church,  a  copy  of  which 
accompanies  the  result  of  this  council,  and  in  which  an 
alteration  will  be  found,  to  conform  it  to  the  language  of 
scripture,  be  submitted  to  their  consideration.  We  as- 
sure the  members  who  shall  adopt  this  covenant  that  we 
will  recognize  them  as  the  church  of  Chrish  in  Prince- 
ton. After  taking  this  step,  we  recommend  to  them 
as  soon  as  may  be,  to  submit  to  their  body  the  question 
of  concurrence  with  the  town  in  the  election,  of  Mr. 
Samuel  Clarke,  to  be  their  minister.  In  case  they  shall 
concur,  and  he  shall  accept  their  invitation,  we  recom- 
mend that  a  joint  committee  of  the  church  and  town  be 
authorized  to  issue  letters  missive  for  the  purpose  of  in- 
viting an  ordaining  council  to  consummate  the  proposed 
union." 

Only  six  of  the  ten  individuals  comprising  the  mutual 
council  supported  the  "  result,"  while  the  remaining 
four  entered  the  following  "  Protest"  to  the  proceedings: 

"We  the  undersigned,  members  of  the  aforesaid  coun- 
cil, materially  differing  in  our  views  and  convictions 
from  the  above   Result,  and  believing  the  same  repug- 

*  A  new  church  covenant  was  substituted  during  the  ministry  of  Rev.  Dr. 
3durdock,  for  the  old  covenant,  as  narrated  in  a  previous  chapter. 


PROTEST    OF    THE    MINORITY.  1*25 

nant  to  what  duty  requires,  feel  ourselves  bound  in  the 
fear  of  God,  to  enter  our  solemn  Protest  against  sa;d 
Result,  for  the  following  reason,  viz  : 

"  1.  Because  it  recommends  an  unnecessary  and  un- 
authorized subversion  of  the  confession  of  faith  and 
form  of  covenant  adopted  by  this  church  in  circumstan- 
ces peculiarly  solemn,*  and  which  appear  to  us  happily 
calculated  to  maintain  the  purity  of  the  church  in  fakh 
and  practice. 

"  2.  Because  said  Result  appears  to  us  inconsistent 
with  the  character  given  by  inspiration  of  the  church 
as  a  pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth  ;  and  as  an  unwar- 
rantable attack  on  the  rights  and  usages  of  the  New 
England  churches,  which  have  been  uniformly  recog- 
nized from  the  infancy  of  the  country  to  the  present  day. 

"3.  Because  said  Result  exhibits  an  alarming  stretch 
of  ecclesiastical  power,  which  threatens  the  liberties  and 
privileges,  and  even  existence  of  Congregational  church- 
es, by  depriving  them  of  the  right  of  choosing  their 
own  pastors,  breaking  down  their  sacred  enclosures,  and 
subjecting  them  to  the  unenlightened  guidance  of  the 
world. 

"4.  Because,  in  our  view,  said  Result  tends  to  perpet- 
uate and  increase  unhappy  divisions  which  exist  in  this 
church  and  society,  and  which  might  probably  be  heal- 
ed by  such  temperate  measures  as  wisdom  and  duty  ap- 
pear to  dictate. 

•''  With  these  views  and  impressions,  we  would  fondly 
cherish  the  hope,  that  the  good  sense  of  the  town  of 
Princeton  will  lead  them  to  make  a  solemn  pause,  before 
they  adopt  and  pursue  a  course  so  apparently  fraught 
with  evils  to  themselves  and  their  children    after  them  ; 

*  In  time  of  a  special  revival  of  religion  in  Princeton  in  1310. 


126  PROTEST    OF  THE    MINORITY. 

and  that  the  minority  of  the  church  will  seriously  re- 
flect, and  humbly  bring  the  subject  to  the  throne  of 
grace,  before  they  depart  from  their  solemn  covenant 
engagements  to  God  and  their  brethren,  abandon  the 
faith  which  they  professed  before  many  witnesses,  and 
surrender  themselves  into  the  hands  of  those  who  have 
never  named  the  name  of  Christ. 

"  We  cannot  but  deeply  sympathize  with  this  precious 
section  of  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  in  their  present  op- 
pressed and  gloomy  situation,  in  which  we  view  them  as 
suffering  in  the  cause  of  truth  and  holiness.  We  advise 
and  exhort  them  to  stand  fast  in  the  liberty  wherewith 
Christ  has  made  them  free  ;  to  bear  with  patience  their 
present  trials,  and  to  be  much  in  prayer  that  God,  in  his 
mercy,  would  be  pleased  to  turn  their  capitvity,  and 
cause  light  to  arise  upon  them  in  the  midst  of  obscurity. 

"  At  the  same  time  we  recognize  them  as  a  true 
church  of  Christ,  and  tender  them  our  best  wishes  and 
friendly  counsel  and  assistance  in  all  matters  and  things 
conducive  to  their  spiritual  prosperity. 

"  With  most  fervent  wishes  for  the  harmony,  peace 
and  religious  welfare  of  the  church  and  people  of 
Princeton,  we  close  this  our  solemn  Protest,  which  we 
found  ourselves  in  duty  bound  to  offer,  and  humbly 
commend  them  to  the  favor  and  guidance  of  the  great 
Head  of  the  church. n* 

The  original  covenant  referred  to  in  the  Result  of  the 
Mutual  Council,  is  one  that  was  adopted  by  the  church 
on  the  9th  day  of  November,  1767,  termed  "covenant 
for  the  admission  of  members."  Rev.  Timothy  Fuller 
was  the  pastor  of  the  church  in    Princeton,  at  that  time, 

*  Signed  by  Rev.  Seth   Payson,  D.  D  ,  Rev.  Joshph   Goffe,  Elder  Oliver 
Dond  and  E.  Drown. 


mr.  Clarke's  covenant.  127 

and  the  covenant  was  used  until  1810.  That  the 
proposed  alteration  of  phraseology,  in  order  to  make  the 
covenant  conformable  "  to  the  language  of  scripture,'* 
would  essentially  change  the  character  of  the  instru- 
ment, and  make  it  as  dissimilar  to  the  original  cove- 
nant of  the  church  as  Unitarianism  is  unlike  Trinita- 
rianism,  was  the  opinion  of  many  at  the  time.  That  the 
reader  may  have  the  opportunity  of  comparing  the  two 
for  himself  we  transcribe  the  covenant  as  altered,  term- 
ed Mr.  Clarke's  covenant,  and  refer  him  to  page  90  for 
the  original  : — 

"You  declare  your  firm  belief  in  one  infinite  and  eternal 
God,  the  Father,  of  whom  are  all  things,  and  we  in  him,  and  in 
one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  are  all  things,  and  we  by  him. 
You  believe  that  the  sacred  scriptures  are  of  divine  original, 
and  contain  our  whole  duty  as  it  relates  to  practice. 

"  You  resolve  to  conform  your  life  to  the  rules  of  God's  word 
till  death,  and  give  up  yourself  to  God  the  Father  as  your  por- 
tion, to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  as  your  Re- 
deemer, and  to  the  Holy  Ghost  as  your  sanctifier,  guide  and 
comforter. 

"  You  acknowledge  your  indispensable  obligation  to  serve 
and  glorify  God  in  a  sober,  holy  life,  and  promise  to  live  in 
obedience  to  him,  walking  in  all  his  ordinances  blameless. 

"You  promise,  by  divine  aid  to  walk  with  the  church  in  the 
faith  and  order  of  the  gospel,  attending  the  public  worship  of 
God,  the  sacraments  of  the  New  Testament,  the  discipline  of 
the  church,  and  all  his  holy  institutions,  so  long  as  you  may 
be  continued  in  the  place. 

"  You  promise  to  devote  your  offspring  to  God,  and  to  in- 
struct them  in  the  principles  and  practice  of  religion  ;  carefully 
avoiding  every  appearance  cf  evil  and  every  temptation  to  sin. 

"  This  you  engage,  flying  to  the  blood  of  the  everlasting 
covenant  for  the  pardon  of  all  your  sins,  and  praying  that  the 
God  of  Peace,  who  brought  again  from  the  dead  our  Lord  Jesus, 
that  great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep  would  prepare  and  strengthen 
you  to  every  good  work,  to  do  his  will,  working  in  you  that 
which  is  well  pleasing  in  his  sight,  through  Jesus  Christ,  to 
whom  be  glory  forever  and  forever.     Amen." 

On  the  17th  day  of  March,  1817,  the  day  appointed  by 


128  mr.  clajrke's  reply. 

the  council,  the  church  met  at  the  Town  House,  and,  af- 
ter a"  candid  deliberation,"  voted,  to  reject  the  recom- 
mendation of  said  council,  as  an  unauthorized  and  arbi- 
trary infringement  upon  their  privileges  and  rights.  On 
this  occasion,  20  voted  non-concurrence,  8  to  concur, 
and  2  were  neuter.  On  the  same  day,  the  town  held  an 
adjourned  meeting,  at  which  they  ordered  that  a  copy  of 
the  result  of  said  council  be  presented  to  a  committee, 
and  that  said  committee  notify  Mr.  Samuel  Clarke  of  his 
third  call  to  settle  with  them  in  gospel  ministry,  as  soon 
as  may  be. 

Our  limits  do  not  permit  us  to  transcribe  the  third  let- 
ter of  Mr.  Clarke,  accepting  the  invitation  of  a  majority 
of  those  who  voted  in  the  town.  We  however  give  an 
extract.     Under  date  of  April  G,  1817,  he  writes  : 

"  My  Brethren,  I  come  to  you  with  the  deepest  humility, 
sensible  of  my  own  insufficiency  for  so  great  an  undertaking ; 
yet  relying  on  the  mercy  and  assistance  of  that  great  and  good 
Being,  who  has  hitherto  directed  my  steps,  and  praying  that  in 
this  trying  and  important  hour  he  would  not  forsake,  but  still 
continue  to  prosper  and  bless  me,  I  come  breathing  nothing  but 
love  and  peace.  It  is  from  the  conviction  that  your  harmony 
and  happiness  is  to  be  promoted  by  having  me  as  your  minister, 
that  I  have  concluded  to  accept  your  call.  I  have  been  satisfied, 
from  the  disposition  you  discovered  towards  me  after  I  gave  my 
last  answer,  and  from  your  recent  conduct  and  zeal,  that  you 
are  really  and  firmly  attached  to  me,  and  that  this  attachment 
and  affection  will  be  continued  so  long  as  I  shall  be  in  any  de- 
gree worthy  of  them.  It  is  my  desire,  therefore,  tD  come  to  you 
in  the  fulness  of  the  Gospel  of  peace,  ardently  praying  that  I 
may  be  made  an  instrument  of  promoting  your  peace  and  joy  in 
Heaven. 

"Yet,  my  brethren,  while  I  rejoice  in  the  belief  that  I  shall 
be  happy  and  useful  among  you,  I  do  most  sincerely  lament  that 
I  have  not  been  so  fortunate  as  to  effect  a  greater  degree  of 
unanimity  than  exists  in  the  church  and  town.  It  is  an  unpleas- 
ant thing  for  me  to  settle  with  you  contrary  to  the  wishes  of  any 
individual  in  this  place.  Nevertheless,  from  the  acquaintance  I 
have  with  those  opposed  to  my  settlement,  from  the  civilty  and 


MR.  clakke's  reply.  129 


respect  with  which  I  have  ever  been  personally  treated  by  them, 
I  am  fully  satisfied  that  although  they  cannot  at  present  regard 
me  with  favor  as  a  preacher,  yet  they  will  ever  regard  me  with 
that  friendship  and  charity  which  are  due  from  man  toman,  and 
from  Christian  to  Christian,  and  that  they  will  never  do  any 
thing  designedly  to  injure  my  character,  or  my  feelings.  I 
believe  that  I  can  say  from  the  heart,  that  1  feel  towards  them 
the  love  and  affection  of  a  Christian  ;  that  they  have,  and  always 
will  have  my  prayers  and  best  wishes,  and  that  I  shall  at  all 
times  be  ready  to  extend  to  them  the  hand  of  fellowship,  of 
consolation  and  of  Christian  love. 

"From  your  past  expressions  of  kindness  and  affection  I  feel 
assured,  my  Christian  friends,  that  they  will  be  continued  to 
me :  that  in  all  seasons  of  want,  of  distress,  of  affliction  and  trial, 
you  will  be  ready  to  assist,  advise,  and  comfort  me  ;  that  I  shall 
always  have  your  prayers,  that  I  may  be  faithful  to  you  and 
myself,  and  that  you  will  do  all  in  your  power  to  strengthen  my 
hands,  and  encourage  my  heart.  You  will  I  trust  always  find 
me  ready  to  do  every  thing  in  your  behalf  which  belongs  to  me 
as  a  Christian  minister  and  a  man.  Let  it  then  be  our  united 
prayer  to  the  throne  of  grace,  that  should  our  contemplated 
union  be  consummated,  ij,  may  be  productive  of  the  happiest 
consequences  both  as  it  regards  our  present  and  eternal  peace, 
that  we  may  be  enabled  to  walk  together  in  the  exercise  of  all 
the  mild  and  peaceful  graces  of  our  holy  religion.  Let  us  be 
much  in  prayer  to  God  for  light  and  direction.  And  O,  may  it 
be  our  happiness  to  be  mutual  sources  of  improvement  and  com- 
fort in  this  life  and  of  joy  and  rejoicing  in  the  day  of  the  Lord 
Jesus.'' 

Mr.  Clarke  was  ordained  at  Princeton,  June  18, 1817. 

The  sermon  on  this  occasion  was  preached  by  Rev.  Dr. 

Pierce  of  Brookline. 

12 


J  30  COUNCIL    CALLED. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Call  of  Council  by  the  Church — Result — Organization  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church — Ruling  Elders — Call  to  Mr.  Bond — Accessions  to  the  Church 
and  Congregation — New  Meeting  House — Seizure  of  Property  to  pay 
Ministerial  Rates — Seizure  of  the  body — Mr.  John  H.  Brooks  carried  to 
Jail — Suit,  Samuel  Brooks  vs.  Town — Mutual  Settlement  of  the  contro- 
versy— Settlement  of  Mr.  Phillips— Origin  of  Division — Mr.  Clarke's  dis- 
mission— Biographical  Notice — Proposal  for  a  Union — First  Parish,  and 
Mr.  Cowles'  settlement  and  dismission. 

The  opposition  manifested  to  the  call  of  Mr.  Clarke 
grew  stronger  after  his  ordination,  and  many  left  the 
usual  place  of  worship.  Previous  to  that  event  however, 
the  church  determined  to  call  an  Ecclesiastical  Council 
to  give  them  advice  at  this  important  crisis.  Letters 
missive,  in  the  name  of  the  church,  were  accordingly 
addressed  to  five  churches  to  advise  in  the  case,  by  vir- 
tue of  which  the  Council  assembled  at  Princeton  on  the 
29th  of  April,  1817,  at  the  house  of  Caleb  Mirick,  Esq. 
It  consisted  of  Rev.  Dr.  Payson  of  Rindge,  N.  H.,  Rev. 
Dr.  Crane  of  Northbridge,  Rev.  Dr.  Snell  of  Brookfield, 
Rev.  Joseph  GofTe  of  Millbury  and  Rev.  Gaius  Conant  of 
Paxton, — each  clergyman  being  also  accompanied  by  a 
delegate.  After  the  organization  of  said  Council  the 
subscribers  to  the  covenant  which  was  recommended  by 
the  former  Ecclesiastical  Council,  who  formed  the  mi- 
nority of  the  church,  together  with  others,  were  inform- 
ed that  the  council  was  proceeding  to  business  ;  and 
that  they  were  ready  to  receive  any  communications 
they  were  disposed  to  make.  Their  doings  will  be  best 
ascertained  from  the  accompanying  result. 

"  Received  several  communications  from  the  committee  of  the 
church,  relating  to  the  repeated  invitations  given  by  the  town 
to  Mr.  Samuel  Clarke  to  be  their  minister, — the  doings  of  an 
Ecclesiastical  council  lately  convened  for  the  purpose  of  giving 
their  advice  upon  the  subject  of  their  future  proceedings ;  and 


RESULT    OF    COUNCIL.  131 

the  conscientious  scruples  of  the  church  in  complying1  with 
their  advice,  and  in  setting  under  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Clarke  in 
case  he  should  be  established  as  a  teacher  in  the  town,  on  ac- 
count of  his  religious  opinions,  in  some  essential  particulars  so 
diverse  from  their  own,  so  opposite  to  the  covenant  they  had 
adopted  and  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  Having  also  had  a 
friendly  interview  with  Mr.  Clarke,  in  which  he  frankly  avowed 
his  religious  opinions,  on  which  the  church  founded  their  objec- 
tions to  him  as  their  pastor  and  teacher,  and  of  which  they  ap- 
pear to  have  formed  correct  conceptions.  Whereupon  we 
would  express  our  sympathetic  feelings  for  the  church  in 
Princeton,  with  them  deeply  deplore  their  unhappy  state,  and 
lament  the  assumed  power  of  the  late  Ecclesiastical  Council, 
so  unprecedented  in  our  country  and  so  unauthorized  by  the 
Gospel — a  power  that  threatens  the  liberties,  the  privileges  and 
the  very  existence  of  our  churches  which  are  founded  upon  the 
pillars  of  truth  ;  by  depriving  them  of  their  inalienable  rights, 
subverting  their  confessions  of  faith  and  their  forms  of  cove- 
nant. We  commend  our  brethren  for  the  firm  stand  they  have 
ciade  in  the  defence  of  the  truth  once  delivered  to  the  saints; 
so  honorable  to  them  as  professed  Christians.  Under  all  the 
severe  trials  this  measure  may  occasion  them,  a  conscious  love 
to  the  Gospel,  the  approbation  of  their  own  minds  and  their 
Christian  brethren,  and  above  all  the  approbation  and  gracious 
presence  of  God  will  be  an  ample  support — a  rich  reward.  In 
these  trying  circumstances  we  would  give  them  the  following 
advice : 

"  1.  That  they  give  themselves  unto  prayer  for  the  direction 
and  holy  keeping  of  the  great  Head  of  the  church,  that  they  may 
be  guided  into  the  paths  of  wisdom  and  Christian  prudence,  that 
they  may  meekly  and  patiently  endure  every  trial  to  which,  in 
Providence,  they  are  subjected,  as  the  friends  of  truth,  and  re- 
main united  together  in  love  as  the  humble  followers  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

"  2.  That  they  take  all  legal  and  proper  measures  to  form 
themselves  together  with  such  inhabitants  of  the  town  as  may 
choose  to  unite  with  them  into  a  distinct  and  separate  religions 
society,  for  the  quiet  enjoyment  of  Christian  ordinances,  and 
the  instructions  of  an  evangelical  ministry,  cleaving  to  their  ar- 
ticles of  faith  and  the  holy  covenant  into  which  they  have  most 
solemnly  entered,  and  from  which  their  brethren  so  unwarranta- 
bly departed. 

"  And  now,  brethren,  we  acknowledge  you  as  the  Church  of 
Christ  in  Princeton,  cordially  recommend  you  to  the  fellowship 
of  all  Christian  Churches  in  our  connection,  and  pledge  our  af- 
fectionate counsel,  influence  and  co-operatioa  for  your  support 


132  PRESBYTERIAN     CHURCH. 

and  encouragement,  and  for  your  furtherance  in  the  faith  of  the 
Gospel.  Walk  in  the  meekness  of  wisdom  toward  those  that 
are  otherwise  minded  and  convince  them  by  a. "  uniform"  Chris- 
tian deportment  that  conscience,  not  prejudice,  a  zeal  for  the 
truth  and  not  unyielding-  perverseness,  that  the  fear  of  God,  and 
love  to  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  not  a  spirit  of  discord,  have 
prevented  you  from  a  coalescence  with  your  brethren.  Above 
all,  brethren,  we  commend  you  to  God  and  to  the  word  of  his 
grace,  that  he  would  take  you  into  his  merciful  keeping,  shed 
upon  you  the  dew  of  his  grace,  and  enable  you  to  keep  the  unity 
of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace.  Behold,  O  God,  look  down 
and  visit  this  vine."# 

Agreeable  to  the  advice  of  the  Council,  the  Church 
proceeded  forthwith  to  take  the  appropriate  steps  to  form 
themselves  into  a  society  for  the  enjoyment  of  Christian 
ordinances,  and  the  instruction  of  an  evangelical  minis- 
try. A  committeet  was  chosen  on  the  6th  of  June  to 
confer  with  Rev.  Mr.  Merriam,  a  Presbyterian  minister, 
to  ascertain  what  measures  were  necessary  to  be  taken 
to  become  united  with,  and  also  to  come  under  the  regu- 
lations and  government  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in 
the  United  States.  On  the  18th  day  of  September, 
1818,  it  was  unanimously  voted  by  the  Church,  to  adopt 
the  Presbyterian  Articles  of  Faith  and  discipline,  and 
become  connected  with  the  Newburyport  Presbyte- 
ry. This  course  of  the  Church  was  considered  a  bold 
innovation,  conflicting  with  the  prejudices,  and  also 
violating  the  usages  of  the  times.  The  erection  of  a 
poll  parish,  bringing  together  those  of  similar  opinions, 
without  regard  to  local  habitation,  almost  unprecedented 
beyond  the  metropolis,  was  strenuously  resisted.  The 
founders  of  the  society  grasped  firmly,  and  thereby  se- 
cured those  rights  which,  after  the  lapse  of  time,  have 
been  accorded  as  common  privileges.     Their    meetings 

*  Unanimously  adopted   by  the  Council. 
fDea.  Parker,— substitute,  Jonas  Brooks,  Esq. 


ACCESSION    OF   MEMBERS,  133 

were  held  for  some  time  in  one  of  the   schoolhouses,  the 
Selectmen  refusing  them  the  use  of  the  Town  House. 

Dea.  Ebenezer  Parker,  Dea.  Samuel  Stratton,  Dea. 
Israel  Howe,  Jonas  Brooks,  Esq.,  -Caleb  Mirick,  and 
Thomas  Wilder,  were  elected  Ruling  Elders,  and  were 
ordained  on  the  25th  of  October  by  Dr.  Dana  from  New- 
buryport.  The  society  being  thus  organized  on  the  25th 
of  December  invited  Rev.  Alvan  Bond,  of  Andover,  to 
settle  with  thern  in  the  work  of  the  gospel  ministry. 

To  this  invitation,  Mr.  Bond  gave  a  negative  reply., 
alleging  that  he  came  to  this  result  in  view  of  the  state 
of  his  health,  and  also  of  his  intentions  to  engage  in  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  in  a  foreign  mission. 

Though  destitute  of  a  settled  minister,  the  Church 
continued  to  meet  every  Sabbath  for  religious  worship. 
They  were  supplied  with  preaching  generally  by  some 
of  the  clergymen  from  the  neighboring  towns;  and  in 
the  space  of  little  more  than  two  years  the  Lord  so  great- 
ly blessed  their  efforts,  that  upwards  of  forty  individuaJ-s 
became  identified  with  the  church.  At  length  they 
found  themselves  straightened  for  room  on  account  of 
the  great  accessions  to  their  congregation,  until,  in  1819, 
necessity  compelled  the  erection  of  a  house  of  worship. 
This  house  was  located  near  the  old  burying  ground,  a 
little  north-west  from  the  old  town-house.  The  dedica- 
cation  sermon  was  preached  by  Dr.  Dana  of  Newbury- 
port. 

The  boundaries  of  the  first  parish,  co-extensive  with 
those  of  the  town,  embraced  the  estates  of  the  members 
of  the  Presbyterian  society,  and  while  they  contributed 
to  the  support  of  the  institutions  of  their  own  church  and 
teachers,  they  were  also  compelled  to  pay  ministerial 
rates  in  the  same  manner  as  before  the  separation.  This 
12* 


134  MINISTERIAL    RATES. 

double  taxation  was  peculiarly  onerous.  Hence,  at  a 
town  meeting  held  Oct. 16, 1818,  they  made  an  appeal  to 
the  justice  of  their  fellow  townsmen,  for  relief  from  a  tax 
inconsistent  with  their  religious  privileges ;  but  without 
avail.  On  their  refusal  to  pay  the  ministerial  rates  assessed 
against  them,  for  the  support  of  Rev.  Mr.C  larke,  their 
cattle  and  other  property  was  seized  and  sacrificed  under 
the  hammer  of  the  auctioneer.  A  second  ineffectual  ap- 
peal to  the  town  for  relief  from  this  taxation,  was  made. 
Upon  refusing  to  pay  their  ministerial  rates,  subsequently, 
their  persons  were  seized  by  the  constable,  who,  agree- 
able to  his  instructions,  made  his  way  with  them  towards 
the  County  jail.  With  one  exception,  however,  they 
came  to  the  conclusion  before  arriving  at  the  place  of 
destination,  to  pay  their  ministerial  assessments.  Mr. 
John  H.  Brooks  was  lodged  in  the  jail  at  Worcester, 
who,  after  "  resting  quietly"  for  a  time  paid  his  rates  and 
returned  to  his  family  in  Princeton. 

^The  history  of  these  transactions  has  become  matter 
of  judicial  record ;  a  suit  having  been  commenced  in 
1819  by  Capt.  Samuel  Brooks,  in  behalf  of  the  Presby- 
terian society  to  recover  the  amount  of  taxes  paid  by 
them  for  the  support  of  the  ministry  and  for  parochial 
purposes  in  the  town  subsequent  to  the  formation  of  said 
society.  This  matter,  however,  was  finally  taken  out 
of  court,  and  amicably  adjusted  by  the  adoption  of  the 
report  of  a  committee  appointed  to  adjust  the  matter,  as 
follows  : 

"  The  committee  appointed  to  adjust  and  compro- 
mise the  present  litigation  between  the  town,  by  a  suit 
commenced  by  Capt.  Samuel  Brooks  against  the  asses- 
sors of  said  town,  and  to  examine  all  matters  in  contro- 
versy between  the  said  town  and  the  Presbyterian   so- 


LITIGATION — MUTUAL    SETTLEMENT.  135 

ciety  or  act  any  thing  relative  thereto,  now  respectfully 
report : 

"  That  having  fully  and  faithfully  considered  the  sub- 
ject of  the  unfortunate  controversy  growing  out  of  the 
assessment  of  taxes  for  the  support  of  the  ministry  and 
for  parochial  purposes  in  the  town  of  Princeton,  since 
the  formation  of  the  Presbyterian  Society,  by  a  voluntary 
association  of  individuals  for  that  purpose  in  said  town — 
they  are  of  opinion  ;  that  as  the  assessment  of  taxes  upon 
the  members  of  said  Presbyterian  Society  for  the  year 
1818  is^)f  doubtful  legality,  and  it  is  desirable  that  the 
controversy  to  which  the  said  assessment  has,  and  may 
hereafter  give  rise,  should  be  amicably  and  speedily 
settled  ;  the  town  should  direct,  that  the  assessors  give 
their  orders  of  abatement  in  favor  of  all  those  members 
of  said  Presbyterian  Society  who  were  assessed  in  the 
tax  of  1818  for  the  amount  of  the  ministerial  tax  of  that 
year,  to  which  they  were  respectively,  assessed ;  and 
that  the  Selectmen  of  said  town  of  Princeton  draw  their 
orders  upon  the  Treasury  to  be  paid  out  of  the  monies 
raised  for  the  support  of  the  ministry  in  favor  of  all  the 
members  of  said  society,  who  were  assessed  for  the  year 
aforesaid  to  the  amount  of  said  assessmentstogether,with 
the  amount  of  cost  to  which  they  were  subjected  in  the 
collection  thereof,  all  agreeably  to  the  schedule  and  ex- 
hibit herewith  reported,  and  that  the  said  members  of 
said  Presbyterian  Society  thereupon  release  and  dis- 
charge all  claim  and  demand  of  action,  or  right  of  action 
against  said  town,  the  assessors  and  collector  of  taxes 
therein,  for  the  year  1818,  by  reason  of  all  such  assess- 
ments and  any  collections  thereof  as  aforesaid.  That 
the  committee  do  also  recommend  to  said  town  and  So- 
ciety mutually  to  pass  votes  that  in  consideration  of  the 


136  REV.    ALONZO    PHILLIPS. 

foregoing  terms,  and  upon  acceptance  thereof,  all  de- 
mands, claims  and  controversies,  which  have  arisen  or 
might  arise  between  the  said  town  and  its  officers,  on 
the  one  hand,  and  the  Society  and  its  members,  on  the 
other,  in  any  wise  resulting  from  the  assessments  of  mon- 
ies for  ministerial  or  parochial  purposes,  and  the  appro- 
priation of  monies  thereto  previous  to  this  time  be  re- 
leased and  wholly  discharged."  [Here  comes  in  the 
names  of  sixty  one  different  individuals,  with  the  enume- 
ration of  ministerial  rates  assessed  for  1818,  amounting, 
in  the  aggregate,  to  #131  00.]  "  To  these  sums  are  to 
be  added  the  amount  of  surplus  monies  arising  from  the 
sales  of  property  exceeding  the  sums  of  taxes  respective- 
ly, for  the  collection  of  which  property  was  sold,  with 
interest  thereon,  together  with  the  tax  and  the  cost  in 
the  action  of  Capt.  Brooks^  and  the  fees  of  the  collector 
when  paid."* 

On  the  20th  day  of  March,  1820,  the  Presbyterian 
Church  voted  unanimously  to  give  Rev.  Alonzo  Phillips, 
who  had  been  for  some  time  previous  supplying  their 
pulpit,  an  invitation  to  settle  with  them  as  their  pastor. 
To  this  call  Mr.  Phillips  returned  the  following  reply, 
which  is  found  recorded  in  the  church  records,  without 
address  or  signature : 

u  The  office  'of  the  Christian  Minister  is  doubtless  the  most 
important  and  the  most  responsible  with  which  man  can  be  in- 
vested. He  receives  his  commission  from  God,  and  is  account- 
able to  him  for  the  manner  in  which  he  discharges  it.  His 
business  lies  with  immortal  beings ;  its  design  is  to  persuade 
them  to  become  good;  if  it  fails  of  this,  its  design  is  lost  and 
worse  than  lost.  Obviously  then,  he  who  thinks  of  taking  this 
office  upon  himself  ought  not  to  assume  it,  till  he  has   made  it 

*  Signed  by  Jonas  Hartwell,  David  Rice,  and  Charles  Mirick,  town's  com- 
mittee, and  Samuel  Brooks,  Azer  Maynard,  and  Jonas  Brooks,  Esq.,  committee 
<©£  the  Presbyterian  Society. 


MR.    PHILLIPS'    REPLY.  137 


the  subject  of  the  most  serious  contemplation  and  fervent  pray- 
er. This  remark  is  applicable  to  his  decision  concerning  the 
particular  part  of  his  Lord's  vineyard,  in  which  it  his  duty  to 
labor.  The  first,  and  indeed  the  only  question,  which  ought  to 
govern  his  decision  is — where  can  I  do  the  most  good  ?  In 
deciding  this  question,  several  things  must  be  taken  into  con- 
sideration; such  as  the  ability  and  willingness  of  a  people  to 
give  him  support,  which  will  enable  him  to  devote  himself 
wholly  to  the  work  peculiar  to  his  office;  the  part  of  the  world 
or  particular  place  in  which,  at  a  time  like  the  present,  he  is 
most  needed  ;  his  ability  to  sustain  the  labors  and  perform  the 
duties  which  will  devolve  upon  him  in  a  particular  place  ;  the 
feelings  and  unanimity  of  the  people,  who  invite  him  to  settle 
with  them.  These  considerations  I  have  endeavored  to  examine 
with  impartiality  in  forming  the  decision  now  to  be  made  pub- 
lic. 

"  In  regard  to  the  n>st  of  these,  the  support,  I  can  only  say,  that 
on  the  part  of  the  society  there  is  certainly  at  present  a  very  pleas- 
ing willingness;  as  to  the  ability  they  are  the  only  proper  judges. 
Whether  the  sum  proposed  be  adequate  to  a  support  in  my  case, 
time  must  determine ;  for  on  this  subject  I  am  at  present  wholly 
inexperienced.  All  I  wish  for  is  a  support  which  with  prudence 
and  economy,  will  enable  me  to  live  in  a  manner  which  you 
brethren,  would  call  respectable ;  which  will  enable  me  to  unite 
with  my  brethren  in  the  ministry  in  aiding  the  religious  and 
benevolent  plans  which  distinguish  the  present  period  of  the 
church.  In  regard  to  the  second  thing  to  be  considered — the 
particular  place  to  which  duty  calls,  this  a  much  more  difficult 
question  to  decide.  When  I  have  looked  at  the  smallness  of 
this  society,  and  at  their  ability  to  live  a  while  longer  without  a 
settled  minister,  I  have  thought  it  my  duty  to  go  to  some  other 
~)lace.  But  when  I  have  contemplated  the  stand  they  have  ta- 
ken, and  its  bearings,  the  everlasting  importance  of  the  truths 
tney  wish  to  support,  the  connexion  of  those  truths  with  vital 
religion  and  the  salvation  of  men,  I  cannot  doubt.  When  I  look 
at  this  church,  consider  what  it  has  sustained  and  how  it  has 
been  blessed,  I  am  fully  satisfied,  that  it  is  a  real  branch  of  the 
kingdom  of  Christ,  and  a  branch  too,  which  is  as  precious  to 
him  as  any  other  branch  of  his  kingdom.  Why  then  should  it 
not  be  as  precious  to  his  ministers  ?  Of  the  next  thing  to  be 
considered — the  ability  of  a  man  to  sustain  the  labors  and  dis- 
charge the  duties  of  a  particular  place,  in  the  present  case  others 
are  judges  ;  if  they  have  erred  time  will  rectify  the  mistake.  In 
regard  to  the  last  thing  to  be  considered — the  feelings  and  una- 
nimity of  the  people,  they  are  all  any  man  could  wish  for,  to 
afford  him  happiness  and  give  him  influence. 


138  ORIGIN    OF    DIVISION. 

"  With  these  things  before  me,  what  could  I  do,  but  resolve 
to  engage  in  the  same  cause  with  you — cast  my  lot  with  yours, 
to  live  or  die  with  you  ?  What  could  I  do  but  answer  your  in- 
vitation in  the  affirmative?  With  these  things  before  me  J  do 
answer  in  the  affirmative.  May  the  Head  of  the  church  approve 
the  answer,  and  to  his  name  be  glory  forever,  Amen." 

Mr.  Phillips'  ordination  took  place  on  the  7th  of  June, 
1820.  The  exercises  were, — Introductory  prayer,  by 
Rev.  Mr.  Easton  ;  Sermon  by  Rev.  Dr.  Leonard  Woods, 
of  Andover;  ordaining  prayer  by  Rev.  Mr.  Gregor ; 
right  hand  of  fellowship,  by  Rev.  Alvan  Bond;  charge 
by  Rev.  Dr.  Dana  of  Newburyport;  concluding  prayer 
by  Rev.  Mr.  Parker. 

We  have  now  narrated  the  plain  facts  in  the  case, 
which  led  to  the  religious  division  in  the  parent  parish. 
That  the  church  in  Princeton  was  a  regular  Congrega- 
tional church,  founded  upon  the  common  faith  and  prac- 
tice of  the  New-England  churchs  in  general,  none  can 
dispute.  And,  as  it  appears  from  its  history,  its  mem- 
bers had  lived  in  peace  for  many  years,  and  had  been 
blessed  and  prospered.  No  uncommon  symptoms  of 
disaffection  appeared  in  reference  to  the  doctrines  of  said 
church,  either  in  the  church  or  congregation,  until  the 
pulpit  became  vacant  by  the  dismission  of  Rev.  Dr.  Mur- 
dock,  and  other  doctrines  than  the  people  had  been  ac- 
customed to  hear,  were  preached  among  them.  At  that 
period  divisions  and  controversies  began  to  manifest 
themselves.  From  what  source  they  originated  is  plain 
to  be  seen ;  and  that  the  divisions  consequent  upon  the 
settlement  of  Rev.  Mr.  Clarke,  have  not  been  remedied 
by  the  lapse  of  years,  we  shall  see  in  the  sequel.  The 
town  was  now  for  the  first  time  divided  into  two  religious 
societies,  each  having  a  minister  of  their  own   choice.* 

*  Previous  to  this  time  there  were  several  individuals  of  the  Baptist  denomi- 
nation but  no  orgnnized  society  existed  in  tewn  until  subsequent  to  this  period. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    NOTICE.  139 

That  under  Mr.  Clarke  was  in  full  fellowship  with  the 
Unitarian  Congregational  Societies.  The  one  under 
Mr.  Phillips  maintained  the  confession  of  faith  and  dis- 
cipline of  the  Presbyterian  Church  until  1830,  when,  on 
account  of  the  great  inconvenience  and  expense,  par- 
ticularly in  attending  the  meetings  of  the  Presbytery, 
they  were  at  their  request  dismissed  from  that  body,  and 
it  was  unanimously  voted  to  adopt  the  Congregational 
form  of  government.  At  the  same  time  they  also  adopt- 
ed the  covenant  and  articles  of  faith,  used  by  the  church 
at  the  time  of  Mr.  Murdoch's  dismission.* 

Rev.  Mr.  Clarke  continued  to  preach  in  Princeton 
until  1832,  when,  owing  to  ill  healthf  he  requested  his 
society  to  unite  with  him  in  the  call  of  a  mutual  council 
to  advise  as  to  the  dissolution  of  his  ministerial  relation. 
The  society  complying  with  this  request,  a  council  was 
convened  at  Lamb's  Hotel,  in  Princeton,  on  the  5th  day 
of  June,  1832.  And,  agreeably  to  the  advice  of  said 
council,  Mr.  Clarke  was  dismissed  on  the  18th  of  the 
same  month. 

Rev.  Samuel  Clarke  is  a  native  of  New  Boston,  N.  H, 
He  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College,  in  1812,  at  the  age 
of  21  years,  and  subsequently  pursued  his  theological 
studies  under  the  tuition  of  Rev.  Dr.  Channing  of  Bos- 
ton. After  leaving  his  official  station  in  Princeton,  he 
accepted  an  invitation  to  become  pastor  of  the  First 
Congregational  Societyf  in  Uxbridge,  and  was  installed 
January  9th,  1833.     He  still  resides  in  Uxbridge. 

At  the  meeting  for  the  dismissal  of  Mr.  Clarke,  on  the 
21st  of  May,  1832,  either  from  fear   that  they  would  be 

*  See  chap.  VII,  in  this  work. 

f  It  appears  that  Mr.  Clarke  soon  recovered  his  health  which  had  been  for 
"  four  years  on  the  decline"  and  he  settled  in  Uxbridge,  Jan.  1833. 
t  Said  society  is  professedly  Unitarian. 


140  PROPOSAL    FOR    UNION. 

unable  to  sustain  their  Society  as  a  distinct  body  without 
assistance,  or  from  some  other  cause,  the  Congregation- 
al Society  passed  the  following  vote  : — 

"On  motion,  voted  that  the  committee  to  supply  the 
pulpit  be  authorized  and  instructed  to  wait  on  the  stand- 
ing or  prudential  committee  of  the  Evangelical  Orthodox 
Society,  and  request  the  committee  of  that  society  to 
call  a  meeting  of  said  society,  as  soon  as  may  be,  to  as- 
certain whether  said  society  feel  disposed  to  unite  with 
the  Congregational  Society  in  settling  a  minister,  and  if 
so  to  choose  a  committee  consisting  of  an  equal  number 
chosen  by  the  Congregational  Society,  to  co-operate 
with  them  in  inviting  a  candidate  to  preach  to  both  so- 
cieties, or  take  such  other  measures  as  said  committee 
and  the  committee  of  said  Evangelical  Orthodox  Society 
may  deem  expedient  to  effect  a  union  of  said  societies." 

This  vote  was  communicated  to  the  Evangelical  Or- 
thodox Society,  and  it  led  to  the  following  action  : — 

"At  a  meeting  of  the  Evangelical  Congregational 
Society  held  at  their  meeting-house,  on  Monday,  the  4th 
day  of  June  inst.,  to  take  into  consideration  the  request 
of  the  Congregational  Society,  by  their  committee  ;  to 
see  if  the  Evangelical  Congregational  Society  will  unite 
with  that  society  in  settling  a  minister  over  both  socie- 
ties, after  due  deliberation  passed  the  following  vote,  to 
wit : — 

"On  motion,  voted,  that  we  cannot  comply  with  said 
request  for  two  reasons  ;  first  we  have  a  minister  whom 
we  respect  and  under  whose  ministry  we  are  united  and 
happy.  Second,  we  do  not  feel  authorized  to  act  on  the 
subject  as  proposed,  because  we  feel  that  it  is  proper 
and  right  that  the  church  should  have  the  first  move  in 
all  measures  preparatory  to  the  settlement  of  a  pastor." 


FIRST    PARISH.  141 

At  thi3  time,  it  is  doubtless  true  that  a  large  portion 
of  the  Congregational  Society  were  not  Orthodox  in 
sentiment,  and  that  there  was  a  majority  who  were  op- 
posed to  the  settlement  of  aCalvinistic  pastor.  Indeed, 
this  very  question  was  submitted  to  the  society,  where- 
upon it  was  ascertained  that  there  were  seventeen  in  fa- 
vor of  Calvinistic  preaching,  ten  in  favor  of  Universal- 
ist,  six  in  favor  of  Unitarian,  and  but  two  in  favor  of 
Orthodox.*  After  the  secession  of  some  thirty  individ- 
uals, however,  which  took  place  about  this  time,  who 
were  organized  into  a  Universalist  Society.f ,  a  majority 
of  the  members  that  then  remained  invited  a  Calvinistic 
preacher,  in  the  person  of  Rev.  John  P.  Cowles,  to  become 
their  pastor.  A  salary  of  8500  was  offered.  Mr.  Cowles 
haying  accepted  this  invitation,  the  ordination  took  place 
July  19,  ]833.  The  introductory  prayer  was  by  the 
Rev.  H.  Winslow  of  Boston  ;  sermon  by  Rev.  Mr.  Lins- 
Iey,  of  Park-street  church,  Boston;  consecrating  prayer 
by  Rev.  Dr.  James  Murdock  of  New  Haven,  Conn. ; 
charge  by  Rev.  Mr.  Mann,  of  Westminster  ;  exhortation 
to  the  church  and  people  by  Rev.  Mr.  Clark  of  Rutland  ; 
address  and  right  hand  of  fellowship  by  Rev.  A.  E, 
Phelps  of  Boston  ;  concluding  prayer  by  Rev.  Mr.  Allen 
of  Shrewsbury. 

December  23,  1833,  the  Congregationalist  society  was 
organized  as  the  first  parish  in  Princeton.  From  this 
time  it  commenced  its  legal  existence,  distinct  from  the 
municipal  corporation,  and  the  support  of  worship  ceased 
to  be  provided  for  by  the  inhabitants  in  their  genera! 
meetings. 


*  See  Town  Records,  vol.  iv. 

t  The  Universalists  had   preaching  at  the  "Town  House,"  one  third  of  the 
Sabbaths,  for  some  time,  but  finally  disbanded. 

13 


142  MR.    COWLES*    DISMISSION. 

Mr.  Cowles  continued  pastor  of  the  church  until  Oct. 
5,  1834,  when  at  the  instance  of  the  following  letter,  he 
was  dismissed. 

"  To  the  Church  and  Society  of  the  First  Parish  in 
Princeton. 

"Brethren  and  Friends, — I  have  to  request  your  consent  to 
the  dissolution  of  my  relation  to  you  as  your  Pastor  and  Min- 
ister. It  is  very  plain  that  either  my  preaching  or  my  conduct, 
or  both,  have  given  sufficient  dissatisfaction  to  render  this  step 
desirable,  both  for  me  and  you,  and  sooner  or  later,  indispensa- 
ble. My  fixed  choice  is,  net  to  have  it  delayed,  for  I  am  per- 
fectly satisfied  that  no  change  in  me,  or  in  my  conduct,  or  in  my 
preaching,  which  my  principles  would  allow  me  to  make,  will 
materially  alter  the  present  aspect  of  things.  You  will  be  only 
doing  me  justice  if  you  think  of  my  principles  in  these  respects 
as  entirely  immutable.  It  is  therefore  proper  and  desirable,  that 
our  relation  as  pastor  and  people  should  cease.  Your  consent 
to  this  step  I  have  to  request.  Your  minister's  constant  prayer 
is  and  will  be  that  God  would  so  order  his  Providence  towards 
you  and  so  guide  and  control  your  own  feelings  and  conduct  and 
those  of  others,  as  to  secure  to  you  still,  in  some  way,  a  gospel 
faithfully  and  successfully  preached.  John  P.  Cowles. 

Princeton,  Oct.  5,  1834." 


CHAPTER  X. 

Farther  Measures  for  a  Union— Call  of  a  Council — Result — Proceeding  upon 
it — Objections — Votes  of  Fiist  Parish — Votes  of  Evangelical  Society — 
Action  of  Congregational  Church — Doings  of  the  Council's  Committee — 
Societies  unite — Mr.  Phillips  at  the  House  of  the  First  Parish — His  return 
to  his  former  place  of  labor — Church  Meetings, 

After  the  dismission  of  Rev.  Mr.  Cowles,  the  Con- 
gregational Society  renewed  their  proposals  for  a  union 
with  the  Evangelical  Congregational  Society.  This  was 
done  by  the  following  communication  : 

"  To  the  Evangelical  Congregational  Church  in  Prince- 
ton, under  the  pastoral  care  of  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips. 
"  Pwev.  and  Beloved, — The  undersigned,  having  been  appointed 


MEASURES    FOR    UNION.  143 


a  Committee  by  the  Congregational  Church,  [for  the  purpose  of 
making  a  communication  to  your  Church,  would  respectfully  lay 
before  you  the  doings  of  the  said  Congregational  Church,  and 
the  advice  of  an  Ecclesiastical  Council,  lately  convened  in  this 
place. 

"  At  a  meeting  of  the  Congregational  Church,  Oct.  26, 1834, 
a  Committee  was  appointed  to  ask  the  advice  of  the  Ecclesias- 
tical Council,  which  was  then  to  be  convened  on  the  28th  of 
said  month,  for  the  dismission  of  Rev.  John  P.  Cowles,  in  relation 
to  what  course  it  was  the  duty  of  said  Church  to  pursue,  and 
what  measures  to  adopt,  under  the  existing  circumstances  of  the 
religious  affairs  of  this  place. 

"The  said  Committee  attended  to  the  duty  of  the  appoint- 
ment and  received  from  said  Council  the  following  result : — 

'  The  advice  of  this  Council  having  been  asked  by  the  Con- 
gregational Church,  in  regard  to  the  course  they  should  take, 
provided  Mr.  Cowles  be  dismissed,  the  Council  advise  to  the 
following  measure:  that  said  Church  propose  to  the  Evangeli- 
cal Congregational  Church  to  unite  in  choosing  a  Mutual  Or- 
thodox Council  to  settle  the  following  points  : 

1 1st.     Shall  a  union  be  effected  between  the  two  Churches  ? 

*2J.    On  what  ground  shall  such  union  be  effected  ? 

Samuel  Gat,  Moderator. 
Cyrus  Mann,  Scribe.'' 

"At  a  meeting  of  the  Church,  Oct.  29th,  the  foregoing  result 
and  advice  of  Council  was  laid  before  the  said  Church,  and 
accepted  ;  and  Deacon  Charles  Russell  and  Caleb  Dana,  and 
Brother  Charles  B.  Temple,  were  appointed  a  Committee  to 
present  to  the  Evangelical  Church  a  copy  of  the  advice  of  said 
Council,  and  to  adopt  measures  to  carry  the  same  into  effect. 

"Agreeably  to  the  advice  of  said  Council,  and  in  full  accord- 
ance with  our  own  views  and  feelings,  we  do  now,  in  behalf  of 
the  Congregational  Church,  proprcse  to  unite  with  your  Church 
in  inviting  a  Mutual  Orthodox  Council  for  the  purposes  men- 
tioned in  the  result  of  said  Council. 

"  In  making  this  request,  we  wish  to  add,  that  we,  in  common, 
doubtless  with  you,  regard  it  as  exceedingly  desirable,  for  the 
interests  of  religion  in  this  place,  that  all  those  in  these  two 
Churches,  who  coincide  in  their  views  of  the  doctrines  and  du- 
ties of  the  Gospel,  and  give  credible  evidence  of  their  being  the 
children  of  God,  should  be  united  in  one  Church,  and  under  one 
pastor.  We  do  not  regard  a  union  as  desirable  except  on  such 
conditions,  and  on  such  grounds,  as  shall  ensure  to  you  and  to 
us  a  prospect  of  purity  as  well  as  peace  and  harmony.  Under 
such  conditions  we  do  desire  it,  for  the  sake  of  that  cause  which 
we  equally  profess  to  love.    We  deeply  lament  the  division 


144  CALL    OF    COUNCIL. 

which  has  long  existed  in  this  town,  and  our  prayer  to  God  is 
that  it  may  soon  be  terminated  in  that  way  and  in  thay  way 
only  which  will  be  for  his  glory  and  for  the  spiritual  benefit  of 
his  chosen  people.  And  that  this  desirable  end  may  be  effec- 
ted, we  desire  on  our  part,  to  remove  every  reasonable  objection. 
We  propose  to  unite  with  you  in  calling  a  Mutual  Counsil,  be- 
cause we  do  believe  that  there  are  questions  arising  out  of  the 
character  and  relations  of  these  churches,  which  affect  so  vitally 
the  best  interests  of  the  people  of  this  place,  as  well  as  the 
Church  of  Christ,  that  neither  ot  these  Churches  is  at  liberty  to 
disregard  them. 

"  Should  your  Church  accede  to  this  proposition  and  request, 
we  trust  there  would  be  no  disagreement  in  selecting  a  Mutual 
Council,  of  approved  Orthodox  Ministers  in  this  Commonwealth, 
which  would  be  entirely  satisfactory  to  both  Churches.  We 
wish  to  be  distinctly  understood  that  we  are  willing  to  submit 
the  whole  case,  in  all  its  parts,  to  the  decision  of  such  a  Council. 
"  And  now  Christian  Brethren,  we  respectfully  ask  you  to 
give  this  subject,  as  we  trust  you  will,  your  serious  and  prayer- 
ful consideration.  And  may  the  great  Head  of  the  Chuich, 
vouchsafe  to  you  and  to  us  his  grace,  guidance  and  direction, 
and  lead  us  in  the  path  of  duty,  to  the  exercise  of  those  Chris- 
tian feelings  and  to  the  adoption  of  such  measures  as  shall  re- 
dound to  his  glory  and  the  spiritual  and  everlasting  good  of  his 
people. 

Yours,  with  Christian  affection, 

Charles  Russell,       } 

Caleb  Dana,  >  Committee. 

Charles  B.  Temple."  } 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Evangelical  Congregational 
Church,  Nov.  11,  to  hear  the  above  communication,  and 
to  act  thereon,  after  a  protracted  discussion,  it  was  voted 
to  appoint  a  committee,  whose  duty  it  should  be,  in  the 
first  place,  to  endeavor  to  convince  the  committee,  who 
presented  said  communication,  that  such  a  Council  as 
proposed  was  entirely  unnecessary,  as  the  church  were 
ready  to  receive  all  such  persons  as  coincided  with  them 
in  their  "  views  of  the  doctrines  and  duties  of  the  Gos- 
pel,1' and  that  "  gave  credible  evidence  of  piety,"  with- 
out the  advice  of  a  council ;  and  secondly,  if  they  should 
not  succeed  in  convincing  them,  then,  as  a  matter  of  pa- 


RESULT    OF    COUNCIL.  145 

cification,  to  agree  with  them  to  call  a  Council.  After 
attending  to  the  duty  assigned  them,  said  committee  re- 
ported that  nothing  but  a  Council  would  be  satisfactory. 
Accordingly  the  measure  was  agreed  to,  and  a  Council 
called,  consisting  of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  North  Brook- 
field,  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  Dr.  Snell;  the  Congrega- 
tional church  in  Templeton,  under  Rev.  Samuel  P.  Bates ; 
the  church  in  Westminster,  under  Rev.  Cyrus  Mann  ; 
the  church  in  Harvard,  under  Rev.  George  Fisher  ;  the 
church  in  Bolton,  under  Rev.  John  W.  Chickering;  the 
Calvanist  church  in  Worcester,  under  Rev.  John  S.  C. 
Abbott,  and  the  church  in  Holden,  under  Rev.  Willard 
P.  Paine, — each  of  these  churches  being  represented  by 
pastor  and  delegate. 

The  Council  convened  at  the  house  of  John  Brooks, 
Esq.,  Dec.  17,  1834.  After  receiving  various  commu- 
nications from  the  committees  of  the  two  churches,  rela- 
ting to  the  subject,  and  desirableness  of  a  union  of  said 
churches,  they  came  to  the  following  result ; 

"The  Council  deems  the  union  of  the  two  churches  exceed- 
ingly desirable,  both  as  it  regards  the  peace  of  the  town,  and 
the  prosperity  of  religion.  The  Council  is  also  very  much  grat- 
ified with  the  truly  Christian  spirit,  manifested  in  the  communi- 
cation made  by  the  Committee  of  the  Church  lately  under  the 
care  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Cowles,  and  with  their  candor  and  mode- 
ration ;  and  have  full  confidence  in  the  purity  of  the  motives 
which  led  them  to  make  an  effort  for  a  reconciliation.  Anima- 
ted by  these  feelings  we  sincerely  hope  that  the  suggestions 
which  may  be  made  by  the  Council,  and  the  terms  proposed, 
will  be  acceptable  to  both  parties,  and  promotive  of  mutual 
edification.  The  Council  are  aware  of  difficulties  in  the  way, 
but  do  not  feel  that  they  are  insurmountable.  Christians  are 
often  called  upon  to  make  sacrifices,  but  if  they  are  sacrifices  of 
feeling  and  not  of  principle,  they  ought  to  be  made. 

u-  The  Council  is  of  opinion,  that  the  whole  subject  is  involved 
in  two  questions. 

u  1.  The  first  question  respects  the  possibility  of  a  union  of 

13* 


146  RESULT    OF    COUNCIL. 


the  two  Churches  which  shall  promote  the  cause  of  truth,  purity 
and  peace. 

"  The  Council  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  Orthodox  portion  of 
the  Church  lately  under  the  pastoral  care  of  Rev.  Mr.  Cowles, 
and  of  the  Church  under  the  pastoral  care  of  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips, 
may  become  one  united  and  happy  Church.  And  the  plan  of 
union  the  Council  would  recommend  is  this,  viz  :  that  the  Rev. 
Messrs.  Bates  of  Templeton,  Mann  of  Westminster,  and  Paine 
of  Holden,  be  a  Committee  to  satisfy  themselves,  at  a  proper 
time  and  duly  notified,  of  the  personal  piety  of  such  members 
of  the  first  named  Church  as  desire  the  union,  and  recommend 
them  to  the  other  Church  by  letter ;  and  that  by  virtue  of  this 
letter  of  recommendation,  they  become  embodied  with  the 
Church  now  under  the  pastoral  care  of  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips. 

"  2.  The  second  question  has  suggested  itself  to  our  minds 
in  a  form  like  the  following  :  Is  there  a  sufficient  degree  of  har- 
mony in  the  views  of  those  two  parties,  to  authorize  the  hope 
that  they  may  unite  in  listening  to,  and  supporting,  sound  Evan- 
gelical ministrations  ? 

"  This  question  we  hope  we  are  not  mistaken  in  answering 
likewise  in  the  affirmative,  As  to  the  mode  of  union,  we  would 
recommend  that  the  Society  connected  with  Mr.  Phillip's 
Church,  should  unite  with  the  other,  and  in  one  united  Church 
and  Society,  sustain  and  enjoy  the  ordinances  and  privileges  of 
the  Gospel. 

"  3.  The  third  and  only  remaining  question  respects  the  pas- 
toral and  ministerial  relations  of  the  proposed  united  Church 
and  Society.  The  only  difficulty  on  this  point,  arises  from  the 
fact  that  the  two  Churches  and  Societies,  as  they  now  exist, 
are  not  on  equal  ground  in  this  respect.  The  one  have  a  pastor 
whom  they  respect  and  love,  who  has  been  with  them  in  times 
of  anxiety  and  trial,  and  between  whom  and  themselves  there 
exist  ties  of  too  sacred  and  tender  a  nature  to  be  sundered,  ex- 
cept by  the  voluntary  motion  and  action  of  the  parties  concern- 
ed. The  other  has  no  pastor,  nor  has  it  from  the  nature  of  the 
case,  that  attachment  to  the  pastor  of  the  other  Church  which 
would  doubtless  have  existed,  had  he  been  for  as  many  years 
their  pastor.  To  the  removal  of  this  difficulty  this  Council  are 
constrained  to  feel  themselves  inadequate,  since  they  cannot 
control  the  affections  of  the  one  body,  nor,  unrequested  and  un- 
authorized, touch  the  pastoral  relations  of  the  other.  We  are 
not  prepared,  on  the  one  hand,  to  say  that  all  the  prejudices  and 
preferences  can  or  should  be  given  up  by  Mr.  Cowle's  late  peo- 
ple ;  nor  on  the  other  hand  require  either  the  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips 
or  his  Church,  to  make  a  sacrifice,  of  the  duty  and  expediency 
of  which,  they  must  be  the  judges.    However,  then,  in  view  of 


RESULT    OF    COUNCIL.  147 

all  the  facts  which  have  come  to  our  knowledge,  our  private 
opinions  respecting  duty  and  expediency  in  this  matter,  may 
differ  from  that  of  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips'  Church  as  expressed  by 
him  as  the  organ  of  their  Committee,  we  feel  obliged  to  leave 
the  matter  to  the  consideration  and  decision  of  themselves  and 
their  pastor. 

"  This  Council  cannot  refrain  from  expressing  our  belief, 
from  what  we  have  witnessed,  that  there  is,  in  all  the  parties 
concerned,  a  sufficient  desire  for  union — a  sufficient  sense  of 
the  importance  of  the  best  economy  in  ministerial  labor,  in  these 
days  of  destitution,  and  sufficient  readiness  to  make  any  need- 
ful sacrifices  for  the  sake  of  Christ  and  his  cause,  to  render  such 
a  disposition  as  has  now  been  made  of  this  whole  subject,  the 
best  we  could  make  even  if  it  were  not,  as  we  think  it  is,  the 
only  in  our  power. 

"  This  Council  cannot  refrain  from  pressing  it  upon  the  minds 
of  all  Christians,  in  both  Churches,  that  for  the  sake  of  union  on 
the  ground  of  Gospel  truth,  and  for  the  advancement  of  the 
cause  of  Christ,  it  is  their  incumbent  duty,  while  they  contend 
earnestly  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints,  to  make  great 
sacrifices  of  personal  feeling  and  private  interest. 

"  We  do  most  earnestly  and  affectiouately  entreat  the  mem- 
bers of  both  Churches  to  live  as  brethren.  We  cannot  doubt 
that  the  cause  of  Christ  is  equally  dear  to  both  churches,  and 
we  do  believe  that  if  the  spirit  of  conciliation  and  kindness, 
which  has  been  manifested  during  the  session  ofthe  Council  is 
continued,  the  troubled  waters  will  grow  more  and  more  calm, 
till  all  is  tranquility  and  peace.  We  hope,  beloved  brethren, 
that  you  will  endeavor  to  cherish  a  childlike,  a  lowly,  and  a  con- 
tented spirit,  and  if  things  are  not  in  all  respects  as  many  ot  you 
could  wish,  wait  quietly  till  He  who  orders  all  things  wisely, 
shall  bring  all  things  right. 

"  The  Council  beg  leave  to  assure  the  members  of  both 
Churches  of  their  kind  feelings  and  Christian  regards.  We 
have  found  ourselves  called  to  settle  questions  of  the  utmost 
difficulty  and  delicacy.  Circumstances  of  past  occurrence,  cause 
us  to  feel  a  deep  sympathy  with  the  members  ofthe  Church  un- 
der the  pastoral  care  of  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips.  Circumstances  of  a 
more  recent  date  constrain  us  to  look  with  much  affection  upon 
the  members  of  the  Church  under  the  late  care  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Cowles.  But  we  beg  them  both  to  be  assured,  that  we  have 
earnestly  sought  guidance  from  above,  that  we  might  come  to 
such  a  result,  as  would  be  mutually  acceptable,  and  promote  the 
social  and  spiritual  happiness  of  all  the  friends  of  the  Saviour, 
in  this  place.  Thomas  S?«tell, Moderator. 

Jony  S.  C.  Abbott.  Scribe." 


148  OBJECTIONS    TO    RESULT. 

On  the  8th  of  January,  1835,  the  church  under  the 
the  Charge  of  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips,  met  to  hear  the  result 
of  the  Council,  and  to  take  such  order  upon  it  as  they 
deemed  proper.  To  its  acceptance  there  was  in  the 
minds  of  many,  very  weighty  and  serious  objections. 
One  of  these  was  the  "  private  opinion  of  the  Council" 
in  reference  to  the  dismission  of  Mr.  Phillips.  They, 
with  their  pastor,  had  supposed  that  the  union  was  to  be 
formed  under  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Phillips.  "  One  of 
the  Committee"  of  his  church,  "  that  difficulty  might  not 
arise,  in  relation  to  this  matter,  in  the  midst  of  the  busi- 
ness of  forming  a  union,  sought  to  have  a  definite  under- 
standing with  them  respecting  it,  and  supposed  that  such 
an  understanding  existed  ;  and  more,  that  the  committee 
of  the  Congregational  Church  had  given  him  a  pledge, 
that  they  should  say  and  do  nothing  respecting  the  pas- 
tor. But  the  fact  turned  out  to  be,  some  three  or  four 
days  before  the  meeting  of  the  Council,  when  it  was  too 
late  to  have  the  day  of  their  meeting  deferred,  that  the 
committee  of  the  Congregational  Church,  were  deter- 
mined the  Council  should  take  up  and  act  on  the  sub- 
ject of  the  pastor's  dismission."* 

The  main  objection,  however,  was  the  appointment  of 
three  ministers  to  come  and  satisfy  themselves  of  the 
personal  piety  of  those  members  of  the  Congregational 
Church  who  desired  a  union,  and  recommend  them  by 
letter  to  the  Evangelical  Congregational  Church,  by  vir- 
tue of  which  they  should  become  identified  with  that 
church.  This  right  they  felt  that  they  ought  not  to  be 
required  to  resign  into  the  hands  of  those  who  were  en- 
tire strangers  to  the  persons  they  were  to  recommend. 
Some  of  these  persons  had  been  professors  of  religion 

*  Mr.  Phillips'  Appeal,  p.  3. 


RESULT    ADOPTED.  149 

for  fifteen,  some  twenty  and  others  thirty  years,  a  suffi- 
cient time  to  have  established  a  character  of  some  kind 
among  those  to  whom  they  were  well  known.  "  But 
how  were  a  committee  of  strangers  to  know  whether 
all  the  persons  who  should  offer  themselves  to  be  trans- 
lated from  the  then  late  Unitarian  church  to  the  Ortho- 
dox, had  established  and  sustained  a  Christian  charac- 
ter."* There  were  many  of  the  church  that  thought 
that  it  would  be  preposterous  to  entrust  the  matter  en- 
tirely to  their  hands.  In  view  of  these  and  some  minor 
objections,  the  church,  at  their  meeting,  voted  to  appoint 
a  committeef  of  seven,  to  confer  with  an  equal  num- 
ber of  the  other  church,  to  ascertain  their  views  or  un- 
derstanding of  the  result  of  Council,  and  to  report  at  a 
future  meeting. 

After  several  weeks  had  elapsed,  said  meeting  con- 
vened, when  the  following  vote  was  passed  by  a  majority 
of  those  voting  A  majority  of  the  whole  number  of  vo- 
ters in  the  church,  it  was  said,  however,  were  never  suffi- 
ciently satisfied  with  the  result,  and    did  not  vote  at  all. 

"  To  the  Clerk  of  the  church,  lately  under  the  pastoral  care 
of  the  Rev.  J.  P.  Cowles  ; — The  following  is  a  copy  of  a  vote 
passed  by  our  church,  at  a  regular  meeting,  Feb.  5,  1835. 

"Feb.*  5.  The  church  met  agreeably  to  appointment ;  after 
hearing  the  report  of  the  committ  rich  seemed  favorable, 

voted  to  accede  to  the  first  part  of  "  the  result,"  viz.,  that  which 
relates  to  the  union  of  the  Orthodox  members  of  the  other  Con- 
gregational church  with  this. 

"  A  true  copy — Attest,  A.  Phillips." 

The   following    is   the  vote  of  The    Congregational 

church,  on  the  acceptance  of  the    result  of  Council. 

"  February  28, 1835.  The  church  of  Christ  under  the  late 
pastoral  care  of  the  Rev.  John  P.  Cowles,  held  a  meeting  at  the 

*  Mr.  Phillip's  Appeal,  p.  6. 

t  The  committee  were  I.  Thompson,  John  H.  Brooks,  Dea.  Samuel  Stratton, 
J.  Cutting,  J.  Brooks,  Jr.,  E.  Beaman. 


150  VOTES    OF   THE    FIRST    PARISH. 

hall  of  Dea.  Charles  Russell,  Feb.  28,  to  consider  and  act  on  the 
result  of  the  Mutual  Ecclesiastical  Council,  lately  convened  in 
this  place.  The  meeting  was  opened  by  the  Moderator,  Dea. 
Charles  Russell,  who  led  the  church  in  address  to  the  throne  of 
Divine  grace,  for  light  and  direction  in  the  important  business 
before  them. 

"The  church  then  proceeded  to  a  consideration  of  the  sub- 
ject before  them,  and  after  a  full  and  harmonious  interchange 
of  feelings, — 

"  Voted  unanimously  to  accept  the  result  of  said  Council. 

"  Voted,  That  the  Clerk  of  the  church  be  directed  to  transmit 
a  copy  of  the  doings  of  this  meeting  to  the  church  under  the 
pastoral  care  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips.  C.  Dana,  Clerk. 

M  Copy  from  the  records — Attest. 

C.  Dana,  late  Clerk  of  said  Church" 

On  the  4th  of  March  following,  at  a  legal  meeting  of 
the  First  Parish  in  Princeton,  convened  at  the  "  Town 
House,"  the  following  votes  were  passed  : 

"  Voted  unanimously,  That  we  accept  of  the  Result  of  the 
Mutual  Ecclesiastical  Council  lately  convened  in  this  place,  by 
the  request  of  the  church  under  the  late  pastoral  care  of  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Cowles  and  of  the  church  under  the  pastoral  care  of 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips,  and  that  we  can  cheerfully,  and  do  most 
heartily  respond  to  the  sentiments  expressed  in  the  Result  of 
said  Council,  that  there  is  a  sufficient  degree  of  harmony  in  the 
views  of  this,  and  the  Evangelical  Society,  to  authorize  the  be- 
lief that  they  may  unite  in  listening  to,  and  supporting  sound 
Evangelical  ministrations. 

"  Voted  unanimously,  That  this  Society  invite,  and  we  do 
hereby  affectionately  and  respectfully,  the  said  Evangelical  So- 
ciety to  unite  with  us,  agreeably  to  the  recommendation  con- 
tained in  the  Result  of  said  Council. 

"Voted  unanimously,  That  we  are,  and  have  been,  for  a  con- 
siderable time  past,  desirous  of  a  union  with  the  Evangelical 
Society,  and  that  we  highly  approve  of  the  course  taken  by  the 
church  connected  with  us,  and  of  the  measures  they  have  adopt- 
ed to  effect  a  union  of  the  two  churches. 

"Voted  unanimously,  That  a  union  of  the  two  societies  ap- 
pears to  us  to  be  very  desirable,  and  would  tend  as  we  fully  he- 
lieve  to  promote  the  peace,  Christian  harmony,  and  spiritual 
welfare  of  the  people  in  this  place ;  and  we  can  see  no  reason 
why  the  division  which  has  for  a  long  time  unhappily  existed 
here  should  be  longer  continued,  or  why  we  should  transmit 
such  a  state  of  things  to  posterity. 


VOTES    OF   THE    FIRST    PARISH.  151 

"  Voted  unanimously,  That  should  a  union  take  place,  we 
sincerely  desire  that  it  may  be  extensive,  permanent  and  last- 
ing ;  that  it  may  be  such  an  one  as  shall  promote  the  social  and 
spiritual  happiness  of  both   societies  ;  and  that  in  our  own  en- 
deavor to  effect  a  union  we  disclaim  having  any  other  motive 
than  that  of  advancing  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  and  promoting 
the  best  interests   of  the  people  in  this  town.     Our  cause  we 
firmly  believe  is  a  righteous  cause ;  one  for  which,  we  may  invoke 
the  blessing  of  Heaven,  and   one  on   which  we   may  humbly 
trust  the  smiles  and  blessings  of  God  will  rest. 
,    "  Voted  unanimously,  That  we  believe  there  is  no  relation 
more  sacred  and  important  than  that  which  exists  between  a 
minister  and  his  people — the  peaceable  and  useful  continuance 
of  which  depends   on  the  mutual  affection  existing  between 
them  ;  therefore  we  cannot  refrain  from  expressing  our  serious 
and  solemn  conviction,  that  a  union  under  the   Rev.  Mr.  Phil- 
lips, would  not  be  such  an  one  as  would  be  the  best  calculated 
to  promote  the  happiness,  the  harmony,  and  the  highest  interest 
of  the  united  society — inasmuch  as  we  believe  there  is  a  want 
of  that  cordiality  of  feeling,  both  in  him  and  in  us,  which  it  is 
so  desirable  should  exist  between  a  minister  and  people — and 
the  attitude  in  which  he  has  stood  to  us  has  been  such  as  to 
render  it  impossible,  in  our  view,  for  him  to  associate  with  a 
portion  of  the  united  people,  with  that  freedom  and  cordiality 
which  are  so  absolutely  necessary  in  order  that  a  people  may 
derive  from  their  minister,  and  he  communicate  to  them,  that  re- 
ligious instruction  which  is  so  important  for  their  highest  good. 
"  Voted  unanimously,  That  we  are  aware  that  there  is,  as 
there  always  should  be   between  a  minister  and   his   people,  a 
mutual  attachment  existing  between  Mr.  Phillips  and  the  peo- 
ple under  his  pastoral  care  ;  and  we  have  no  desire  to  do  any 
thing  to  weaken  or  destroy  this  attachment :  still  we  cannot  re- 
frain from  expressing  it  as  our  opinion,  that  should  duty  dictate 
to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips  to  leave  the  field,  as  we  cannot  but  be- 
lieve under  the  guidance  of  Divine  Providence  it  may,  the  har- 
vest would  be  much  greater  under  some  other  person  than  it 
possibly  can  or  would  be  under  his  ministrations. 

'k  Voted  unanimously,  That  if  the  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips  should 
determine  to  ask  his  dismission  from  his  pastoral  charge,  we  will 
contribute  our  share  of  any  reasonable  sum  which  shall  be 
thought  just  and  right  as  an  indemnity  for  any  loss  he  may  sus- 
tain in  consequence  of  such  dismission. 

"  Voted  unanimously,  That  we  hope  and  confidently  believe 
that  after  viewing  and  deliberating  upon  all  the  circumstances 
connected  with  a  union,  that  neither  the  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips  nor 


152  VOTES   OF    EVANGELICAL    SOCIETY. 

his  people,  will  insist  upon  his  being  the  minister  of  the  united 
church  and  society. 

"A  true  copy  of  the  records  of  said  Parish  meeting-. 

"  Attest :  Joseph  A.  Reed,  Clerk" 

It  was  voted,  that  the  Clerk  transmit  to  the  Pruden- 
tial Committee  of  the  Evangelical  Society,  an  attested 
copy  of  the  doings  of  said  Parish. 

At  a  legal  meeting  of  the  Evangelical  Congregational 
Society  in  Princeton,  convened  in  their  Meeting  House5, 
on  Monday,  the  23d  day  of  March,  A.  D.  1835,  the  fol- 
lowing votes  were  passed,  viz  : — 

"  Voted, — That  we  accept  of  the  Result  of  the  Mutual  Ec- 
clesiastical Council,  lately  convened  in  this  place,  by  the  re- 
quest of  the  church  under  the  late  pastoral  care  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Cowles,  and  of  the  church  under  the  care  of  the  Rev.  Alonzo 
Phillips, relative  to  the  union  of  the  said  societies. 

"  Voted, — That  the  Clerk  of  said  Evangelical  Congregation- 
al Society  transmit  to  the  First  Parish  in  Princeton,  an  attested 
copy  of  the  doings  of  said  Society. 

"  A  true  copy  of  the  record  of  said  Parish  meeting. 

"Attest:  Erasmus  D.  Goodnow,  Clerk" 

This  vote  was  also  passed,  it  has  been  stated,  not  by 
a  majority  of  the  whole  number  of  voters  in  the  Evan- 
gelical Congregational  Society, — for  there  were  many, 
(as  in  the  church)  that  never  voted  for  the  Result  at  all, 
not  being  sufficiently  satisfied  with  it  to  do  so. 

The  Congregational  Church,  having  been  informed  of 
the  doings  of  the  Evangelical  Congregational  Society, 
at  their  meeting  on  the  23d  of  March,  met  subsequent 
thereto,  on  the  27th  day  of  April,  when  the  following 
vote  was  passed  : — 

"  Voted  unanimously,  to  carry  into  effect  the  result  of  coun- 
cil; and  Dea.  Charles  Russell  and  Caleb  Dana  and  Br.  Charles 
B.  Temple,  were  appointed  a  committee  to  call  a  meeting  of  the 
church,  when  they  may  deem  it  expedient,  and  to  invite  the 
committee,  consisting  of  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Bates  of  Templeton, 
Mann  of  Westminster,  and  Paine  of  Holden,  to  be  present  at 


POINGS  OF  COMMITTEE.  153 

the  said  meeting  of  the  church,  to  discharge  the  important  du- 
ties assigned  them  in  the  Result  of  said  council." 

In  accordance  with  the  above  vote,  this  committee  ap- 
pointed the  16th  of  May  following,  for  the  clergymen 
mentioned  in  the  Result  of  the  Council,  to  meet  for  the 
transaction  of  its  business  or  duties  assigned  them.  The 
annexed  document  will  show  the  result  : — 

"  May  16,  1835.  The  brethren  and  sisters  of  the  church 
under  the  late  pastoral  care  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Cowles,  met  this 
day  at  the  Town  House,  at  half  past  ten  of  the  clock,  A.M., 
agreeably  to  notice  given  by  the  committee  of  the  church  ap- 
pointed for  said  purpose,  to  carry  into  effect  the  result  of  coun- 
cil, said  result  having  been  adopted  by  the  church  under  the 
pastoral  care  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips. 

"  The  committee  appointed  by  the  council,  consisting  of  the 
Rev.  Messrs.  Bates  of  Templeton,  Mann  of  Westminster,  and 
Paine  of  Holden,  were  there  present  agreeably  to  the  invitation 
of  the  church,  given  by  the  committee  appointed  for  the  pur- 
pose, to  attend  to  the  important  duties  assigned  to  them  in  the 
result  of  said  council. 

"  The  Rev.  Mr.  Mann  addressed  the  Throne  of  Grace  for 
light  and  assistance  on  the  solemn  and  interesting  occasion.— ^ 
Important  remarks  were  then  offered  by  the  Rev.  gentlemen 
composing  the  committee.  The  articles  of  faith  and  covenant 
of  the  church  under  the  pastoral  care  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips, 
were  then  read  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mann,  and  assented  to  by  all 
the  brethren  and  sisters  of  the  church  present. 

"  The  Brethren  of  the  church  adjourned  to  the  Meeting- 
house;  and  after  having  had  an  interview  with  the  committee 
of  the  council,  Voted  to  adjourn,  to  meet  at  half  past  five  of  the 
clock,  P.  M.,  at  the  Town  House. 

"  Adjourned  meeting.  The  brethren  met  at  the  town  house 
agreeably  to  adjournment.  The  meeting  was  opened  with  pray- 
er by  Br.  Charles  B.  Temple.  The  committee  of  the  church, 
consisting  of  brothers  Russell,  Dana  and  Temple,  informed  the 
brethren,  by  their  chairman,  that  the  committee  of  the  council, 
having  attended  to  the  duties  assigned  them,  had  put  into  their 
hands  the  following  communication  as  the  result  of  their  do- 
ings, viz : — 

"  'To  the  church  of  Christ  in  Princeton,  under  the  pastoral 
charge  of  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips. 

"  '  Rev.  and  Beloved, — The  committee  appointed  by  a  council 
mutually  chosen  by  you  and  the  church  under  the  late  care  of 

14 


154  ACTION  OF  SOCIETIES. 


Rev.  Mr.  Cowles  to  unite  said  churches,  having  satisfied  them- 
selves of  the  personal  piety  of  the  following  individuals,  mem- 
bers of  the  last  named  church,  recommend  them  to  your  fellow- 
ship; and  they  are  hereby  embodied  in  one  church  in  accord- 
ance with  your  vote  in  accepting  the  result  of  said  council. 
[Here  follow  the  names  of  forty-six  individuals.] 
"  '  Wishing  you  grace,  mercy  and  peace,  we  are  yours,  dear 
brethren,  with  christian  affection. 

Lemuel  P.  Bates,  } 
Cyrus   Mann,  >  Committee? 

May  16,  1835.  William  P.  Paine,  > 

"  Voted,  to  accept  and  sanction  the  doings  of  the  committee 
of  council. 

"  The  deacons  of  the  church,  viz.  David  Brooks,  Joshua  Ev- 
eleth,  Charles  Russell,  and  Caleb  Dana,  having  severally  ten- 
dered their  resignations  of  said  office,  in  consequence  of  the 
union  about  to  be  consummated  with  the  church  under  the  pas- 
toral care  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips, — Therefore,  Voted,  to  accept 
their  resignation,  and  that  they  are,  at  their  own  request,  here- 
by discharged  from  the  duties  appertaining  to  said  office. 

"  Whereas  several  of  our  brethren  and  sisters  have  not  seen 
fit  to  comply  with  the  advice  contained  in  the  result  of  council, 
and  to  appear  with  the  church  this  day  before  the  committee 
appointed  for  the  purpose  mentioned  in  said  result — Therefore, 
Voted,  that  the  clerk  of  the  church  be  authorized,  when  re- 
quested, to  give  certificates  to  such  persons  as  did  not  conform 
to  the  result  of  said  council ;  certifying  that  they  were  mem- 
bers in  regular  standing  previous  to  the  union,  said  certificate 
to  bear  date  of  this  day,  May   16,  1835. 

"  Voted,  That  brothers  Charles  Russell  and  Caleb  Dana  be 
directed  to  present  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips'  church,  the  letter 
of  recommendation,  that  the  union  of  the  churches  may  be  con- 
summated, agreeably  to  the  result  of  the  Ecclesiaslical  council 
convened  in  this  place  December  last,  at  the  request  of  said 
churches,  and  in  accordance  with  the  subsequent  votes  and 
transactions  of  said  churches,  in  adopting  the  result  of  said 
council. 

"Voted  to  dissolve  the  meeting. 

"  Copy  and  record  of  the  proceedings. 

Caleb  Dana, 
Late  Clerk  of  the  Church  under  the  pastoral 
care  of  Rev.  Mr.  Cowles." 

On  the  18th  of  the  same  month,  the  two  societies — 
the  First  Parish  and  the  Evangelical  Congregational  So? 


NEW  OBSTACLE  TO  UNION.  155 

ciety — held  each  of  them  a  meeting.  The  meeting  of 
the  latter  was  to  ascertain  whether  its  members  were 
willintr,  according  to  the  recommendation  of  the  result, 
to  dissolve  their  own  Society  and  join  the  First  Parish. 
The  members  of  this  Society,  or  a  large  portion  of  them 
at  least,  were  members  of  the  church,  and  they  felt  un- 
willing to  have  a  union  effected  under  such  circumstances. 
Consequently,  after  a  "  most  vigorous"  effort  by  those 
favorable  to  the  measure,  only  twelve  of  the  entire  socie- 
ty were  induced  to  vote  in  favor  of  joining  said  parish. 
The  remainder,  with  the  exception  of  nine  who  voted  in 
the  negative,  did  not  see  fit  to  act  at  all. 

The  informal  manner  in  which  the  Council's  Commit- 
tee "satisfied  themselves  of  the  personal  piety"  of  the  for- 
ty-six individuals  which  they  recommended  to  the  fellow- 
chip  of  the  Phillips' church,  had  now  become  an  obstacle 
to  the  proposed  union.  "  The  committee  came  on  the  last 
day  of  the  week — on  Saturday  ;  and  in  the  short  space 
of  three  hours,  read"  the  articles  of  faith  and  covenant 
of  the  Evangelical  Congregational  Church,  "and  took 
an  assent  to  them,  and  satisfied  themselves  '  of  the  Der- 
sonal  piety'  of  forty-six  individuals.  Now  how,  accord- 
ing to  the  obvious  meaning  of  the  language  of  the  result, 
were  the  committee,  being  strangers,  to  satisfy  them- 
selves of  the  personal  piety  of  the  persons  who  should 
offer  themselves?  Can  any  sensible  and  candid  man 
give  any  other  answer  to  this  question  than  i  by  personal 
examination' ;  examination  in  the  sense  in  which  the 
term  is  generally  understood  in  orthodox  churches? 
Such  was  the  understanding  of  the  original*  church. 
Had  they  not  supposed  there  would  have  been  an  exam- 
ination in  the  usual  sense  of  the  term,    not    more   than 

*  The  Evangelical  Congregational  Church. 


156  NEW  OBSTACLE  TO  UNION. 

three  in  the  entire  church  would  ever  have  voted  to  ac- 
cept the  result.     But  was  there  an  examination  in    the 
sense  in  which  the  term  is  generally  understood  by  ortho- 
dox  people  ?     Forty-six    individuals   in    three   hours ! 
You  have  perhaps,  reader,  been  present  at  the  examina- 
tion of  persons  in  relation  to  their  religious  experience 
and  doctrinal  views  and  the  evidence   of  their   having 
passed  from  death  unto  life.  How  much  time  do  churches, 
or  the  committees,  as  the  case  may  be,   occupy   in   the 
examination  of  each  individual,  when  there  are   several 
to  be  examined  ?     Ten  minutes  in  all  cases,  undoubted- 
ly ;  probably  in  most  cases  more.     But  take   the  least, 
ten  minutes.     Six  persons  then,  may  be  examined  in  an 
hour,  and  eighteen  in  three  hours.     But  in  the  instance 
before  us,  we  have  forty-six  in  three  hours.     In  the  sense 
then  in  which  the  term  is  generally  understood,  could 
there  have  been  an  examination.     The  majority  of  the 
original  church  have  felt,  that  there  could  not  have  been, 
and  that  there  was  not  such  an  examination.     Some  per- 
sons present,  too,  have  made   statements   which  show, 
what  the  want  of  time  evinces,  that  the  forty-six  persons 
who  presented  themselves,  were  not  in  the  usual  Ortho- 
dox sense  of  the  term  examined.     It  is  a   very   delicate 
and  disagreeable  thing  to  add,  but  justice    demands    it, 
that  the  standing,  as  to  a  good  name,  of  some  of  the  per- 
sons recommended,  and  the  character  of  several  as   to 
piety,  is  such  as  evinces  that  the  committee,  being  sensi- 
ble men,  could  net  have  examined  them.     They  never 
would  have  been  satisfied  of  their  piety,  had  they  done 
so.     Here  then,  reader,  we  have  the  reason,  though  not 
the  only,  yet  the  main  and  great  reason,  why  the  majori- 
ty of  the  original  church  could  not  feel  willing  that   the 
union  should  go  into  effect.     Ought  they   to   have  felt 


TJNION  OF  SOCIETIES.  157 

willing,  that  it  should  ?  What  if  most  of  those  who  vo- 
ted at  all — nearly  half  of  the  church — had  once  voted  to 
accept  the  result?*  They  voted  thus,  most  of  them  cer- 
tainly, on  the  supposition,  that  the  persons  to  be  recom- 
mended to  them  and  embodied  in  the  church  would  first 
be  examined.  Under  these  circumstances,  were  the 
church  bound  by  the  above  vote  ?  Every  candid  and  pi- 
ous mind,  it  is  believed,  must  answer  this  question  in  the 
negative.  In  deep  anxiety  and  distress,  in  many  tears 
and  prayers,  a  majority  of  them  came  to  the  conclusion, 
that  they  were  not,  and  could  not  be  bound  by  it."f 

The  twelve  persons  in  the  society  who  were  in  favor 
of  the  union,  being  a  majority  of  those  who  voted,  pro- 
ceeded still  further,  however,  and  carried  a  motion  to 
dissolve  their  society,  and  to  join  the  First  Parish.  Ac- 
cordingly they  "  went  over  forthwith  to  the  meeting  of 
the  First  Parish,"  and  presented  their  names  and  also 
the  names  of  all  the  other  members  of  the  Evangelical 
Congregational  society,  for  the  reception  of  said  parish.!}: 

The  First  Parish,  in  their  meeting,  accepted  said  list 
of  names,  voting  them  in  individually.  At  the  same 
time,  also,  a  committee  |]  was  chosen  to  request  the  Rev. 
Alonzo  Phillips  to  supply  their  pulpit  for  "  the  present.''* 

Mr.  Phillips,  as  desired,  agreed  to  supply  their  pulpit 
for  u  the  present'*  and  for  the  present  only  ;  which 
supply,  for  five  sabbaths,  he  accordingly  rendered; — - 
when  a  mijority  of  the  Evangelical  Congregational 
Church,  after  having  pondered  and  prayed  over  the  sub- 

*  The  Result  of  the  Ecclesiastical  Council. 

f  Phillips'  "Appeal,"  pp.  6,  7,  8. 

\  Several  protested  at  the  time,  we  have  been  informed,  against  their 
names  being  presented  for  admission  into  the  First  Parish. 

||  The  committee  were  Messrs.  Caleb  Dana,  Jonas  Brooks,  Jr.,  Charles  EL 
Temple,  Joseph  Mason,  and  Charles  Russell. 

14* 


158  mr.  Phillips'  supply. 

ject  apart  and  together,  and  conferred  upon  it,  came  to 
the  deliberate  and  solemn  conclusion  that  they  could  not 
conscientiously  go  forward  in  a  union,  under  circum- 
stances which  seemed  to  them  adapted  to  the  corruption 
of  vital  piety.  In  accordance  with  this  conclusion,  they 
addressed  the  following  note  to  their  pastor : — 

"  Whereas  it  has  become  quite  manifest  to  us,  the 
subscribers,  that  the  way  is  not  yet  prepared  to  carry 
the  union,  respecting  which  so  much  has  been  said  and 
done,  into  practical  effect ;  and  whereas,  neither  we 
ourselves,  nor  our  families,  seem  in  a  situation  to  derive 
much  benefit  from  our  minister's  labours  under  present 
circumstances,  we  regard  it  as  our  right  and  our  duty 
to  request,  and  we  do  hereby  request  him  to  return  to 
his  former  place  of  labour." 

Mr.  Phillips  read  this  communication  to  the  congre- 
gation of  the  First  Parish,  and  stated  that,  as  he  was  the 
Pastor  of  those  who  were  the  authors  of  the  communi- 
cation, and  was  in  the  place  he  then  occupied  only  for 
a  temporary  supply,  it  was  obviously  his  duty  to  comply 
with  their  request.  He  therefore  gave  notice  that  he 
should  discontinue  supplying  for  "the  present"  the  pul- 
pit of  the  First  Parish,  and  return  to  his  former  place  of 
labor.  From  this  event,  two  separate  congregations  of 
public  worship  were  again  sustained. 

A  difference  of  opinion  having  arisen  in  the  church 
under  Mr.  Phillips,  as  we  have  seen,  as  to  the  propriety 
of  the  proposed  union  going  into  effect,  (many  main- 
taining that  it  was  inexpedient,  on  account  of  the  "  un- 
satisfactory standing  of  several  of  the  persons  the  coun- 
cil's committee"  had  seen  fit  to  recommend,  while  others 
were  unwilling  that  a  division  in  public  worship  should 


•CHURCH  MEETINGS.  159 

take  place,)  a  portion  of  the  church  returned  to  their 
usual  place  of  worship  with  their  pastor,  and  the  others 
remained  at  the  house  of  the  First  Parish.  Forthwith 
thereafter,  the  other  party  held  a  meeting  and  resolved 
to  continue  their  worship  at  the  old  Congregational 
house. 

On  the  same  day,  a  meeting  of  the  united  church 
was  also  held,  and  a  committee  appointed  to  wait  on  Mr. 
Phillips  and  request  him  to  call  a  meeting  of  the  church, 
to  ascertain  "  why  they  were  not  willing,  that  the  union 
should  go  into  effect."  This  resulted  in  a  meeting  of 
said  church  in  July  following;  "  at  which,  but  for  the 
opposition  of  those  who  were  determined  the  union 
should  go  as  matters  then  stood,  the  persons  recommend- 
ed* would  have  been  informed  where  the  difficulty  was', 
and  a  course  adopted,  there  is  good  reason  to  believe, 
which  would  have  saved  the  church  from  much  of  the 
evil  they  have  since  experienced.  Near  the  close  of  this 
meeting,  when  half  the  members  had  gone  and  the  rest 
were  on  their  feet,  beginning  to  go,  a  resolutionf  was 
offered  by  one  of  the  union-men-as-matters-were,  the 
purport  of  which  was  that  the  church,  in  order  to  a  har- 
monious union,  wished  for  some  opportunity  to  obtain 
a  knowledge  of  the  doctrinal  views  and  religious  experi- 
ence of  the  persons  recommended.  This  resolution  was 
retained  by  the  mover,  but  the  substance  of  it  was  event- 
ually forwarded  by  the  committee  appointed  for  the  pur- 
pose to  the  persons  whom  it  concerned. "J 

*  The  persons  recommended  by  the  Council's  Committee. 

f  A  copy  of  this  resolution  will  appear  in  the  succeeding  chapter. 

X  Phillips'  Appeal,  p.  11. 


i»60  RECONCILIATION  ATTEMPTED. 


CHAFTER  XL 

Attempts  to  effect  a  reconciliation — Further  examination  proffered,  with  a 
plan  therefor — Amendment  Proposed — Objections  to  Amendment — Call  of 
Exparte  Council — Mr.  Phillips'  letter  to  the  Council — Result  of  Council — 
Mr.  Phillips'  Dismission — Biographical  Notice — Meetings  suspended  at  the 
Meeting  House  of  First  Parish — Mr.  Demond's  settlement  over  First  Par- 
ish— Disaffected  ask  for  a  Dismission — Call  of  Council — Result — Mr.  Har- 
ding's Settlement  and  Dismission — Mr.  Goldsmith's  Settlement  and  Dis- 
mission— Call  of  Mr.  Hitchcock. 

After  the  meeting  of  the  church  in  July,  1835,  to 
which  reference  has  been  made  in  the  preceeding  chap- 
ter, no  farther  attempts  of  the  parties  to  effect  a  recon- 
ciliation were  made  until  October  following,  when  a 
committee  was  appointed  by  the  members  of  the  church 
worshipping  at  the  old  Congregational  meeting  house, 
"to  wait  on  the  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips  and  consult  with  him 
in  relation  to  existing  difficulties,  and  also  request  him 
to  call  a  meeting  of  the  church,  to  see  if  some  measures 
cannot  be  adopted  that  will  effect  a  reconciliation,  and 
restore  peace  and  harmony."  To  this  proposal  Mr. 
Phillips  returned  the  following  reply  : — 


ciTo  the  persons  recommended  by  the  committee  designa- 
ted hy  the  Council,  and  others  ivorshipping  with  them  : 

"  In  reply  1o  the  proposal  for  a  meeting-  of  '  the  whole  of  the 
members  of  the  church,  at  the  Evangelical  Society's  House, 
concluded  that  as  they  had  seen  no  cause  to  change  their  views 
since  their  meeting  in  July,  to  direct  the  committee  then  ap- 
pointed for  the  purpose,  to  transmit  to  you  the  resolution  then 
passed,  and  which  was  not  communicated  at  the  time,  for  the 
reason  I  recently  stated  to  Capt.  Dana  and  others  at  my  house. 
The  committee  above  named  have  requested  me  to  make  out 
and  send  you  a  copy  of  the  resolution  in  their  behalf.  As  I  have 
not  the  resolution  in  my  possession,  and  as  it  is  several  weeks 
•yince  it  was  passed,  I  shall  not  be  able  to  {rive  you  its  exact  lan- 
guage ;  in  su'  stance,  however,  it  was  as  follows  : — 

"  Res  ;lved,  That  in  order  to  a  more  harmonious  and  satis- 
factory union,  this  church  wish  for  some  suitable  opportunity 


FURTHER    EXAMINATION.  161 

to  obtain  a  knowledge  of  the  religious  experience  and  doctrinal 
views  of  the  persons  who  wish  to  become  united  with  them. 

"This  resolution  was  moved  by  Mr.  Ephraim  Beaman,  and 
seconded  by  Mr.  Thompson. 

Yours,  &c, 

Princeton,  Oct.  12,  1835.  A.Phillips." 

The  original  resolution,  the  substance  of  which  is  in- 
tended to  be  embodied  in  the  above,  is  found  to  be  as 
follows  : — "  Resolved,  that  the  members  of  this  church 
present  wish  for  a  knowledge  of  your  views  and  feelings, 
of  the  reason  of  your  hope,  and  of  your  doctrinal  belief, 
that  this  church  may  have  Christian  fellowship  with  you, 
in  any  way  which  you  shall  choose  to  make  it  known  to 
us.n 

At  a  meeting  of  the  members  of  the  church  that  wor- 
shipped  at  the  old  house,  held  Oct.  15,  1835,  it  was  voted 
to  comply  with  the  u  wish  expressed  in"  the  above  reso- 
lution. A  committee  was  also  appointed  to  "  converse 
with  the  absent  members,"  and  ascertain  their  views, 
and  transmit  the  result  to  the  members  worshipping  at  Mr. 
Phillips'  meeting-house.  The  committee,  having  atten- 
ded to  their  duty,  reported  that  the  "  persons  recom- 
mended by  the  council's  committee"  were  willing  to  give 
a  reason  of  "  their  hope"  ;  and  at  the  same  time  propos- 
ed to  the  members  at  Mr.  Phillips'  meeting-house  that 
a  committee  be  appointed  to  meet  a  committee  from  their 
number  to  agree  on  "  the  way  and  manner.'"  This  re- 
quest was  complied  with  and  a  committee  was  according- 
ly appointed.  This  committee  met  the  other,  and  in  due 
time  made  the  following  report  : — 

"That  the  deacons  of  the  church  call  a  meeting  of  the  whole 
church,  including  the  members  who  were  recommended  and 
embodied  with  the  church,  by  the  committee  appointed  by  the 
mutual  council ;  that  a  pastor,  from  some  of  the  neighboring 
churches,  be  agreed  upon  by  the  brethren,  and  be   invited   to 


162  AMENDMENT    PROPOSED. 

be  present,  to  preside  at  said  meeting ;  and  that  the  said  pas- 
tor, together  with  the  deacons  of  the  church,  have  the  liberty  to 
esk  such  questions,  relative  to  our  doctrinal  views  and  Chris- 
tian experience,  as  they  in  their  wisdom  deem  expedient.  We 
further  propose,  if  after  Christian  measures  shall  have  been 
taken,  there  should  be  any  of  the  members  who  do  not  give 
satisfactory  evidence  of  their  piety,  that  their  cases  be  proposed 
to  the  church,  by  the  deacons,  for  the  action  of  the  church  there- 
on, and  if  the  church  consider  such  member  or  members  as 
unsuitable  to  commune  with  the  church,  that  such  be  notified 
thereof,  and  be  requested  to  wait  until  satisfactory  evidence  can 
be  obtained  by  the  church." 

To  this  proposition,  the  members  to  whom  it  was  made 
had  several  objections,  which,  in  their  view,  were 
weighty.  In  the  first  place,  the  persons  that  had  been 
recommended  must  all  be  considered  as  members  of  the 
church  already.  Hence  they  did  not  see  the  propriety 
of  their  giving  the  deacons  a  reason  of  their  hope  any 
more  than  other  members  of  the  church.  Another  ob- 
jection alleged,  was,  that  no  member  of  the  church,  or 
even  of  their  standing  committee,  was  to  take  apart  in 
the  examination,  except  the  deacons.  This  seemed  to 
them  invidious.  "And  beside?,  one  of  the  deacons  had 
prejudged  in  the  case — had  shown  by  his  course  and 
said  that  he  was  willing  to  come  into  fellowship  and 
communion  with  them,  asking  no  questions,  having  no 
further  action"  ;  so  that,  furthermore,  it  was  wrong  to 
Ci  throw  the  whole  responsibility  upon  two  members,"  es- 
pecially when  the  other  deacon  was  unwilling  to  "  take 
this  responsibility."  In  view  of  these  objections,  it  was 
voted  unanimously,  that  they  could  not  agree  to  it,  and 
the  following  amendment  to  the  plan  was  proposed  : — 

"That  the  persons  recommended  by  the  council's  committee 
give  the  reason  of  their  hope,  in  the  hearing  of  as  many  mem- 
bers of  the  church  as  may  wish  to  be  present,  to  all  the  mem- 
bers of  our  standing  committee  (except  Mr.  Phillips,  who  feels 
unwilling  to  be  present)— each  member  of  tne  committee  hav- 


EXPARTE    COUNCIL.  163 

ing  liberty  to  ask  such  questions  as  he  may  deem  proper  ami  im- 
portant, and  of  one  minister  (either  Mr.  Miller  or  Mr.  Nelson, 
as  you  may  choose,)  and  that  the  minister  and  committee  decide 
whether  there  are  any,  and  if  any,  whose  evidence  is  not  satis- 
factory, and  that  the  person  or  persons  whose  evidence  is  not 
satisfactory,  according  to  your  committee's  proposal  stand  apart 
from  the  church." 

This  proposed  amendment  was  at  once  rejected,  and 
the  following  reasons  assigned  : — 

"  First,  because  the  plan  you  propose  requires  a  portion  of  the 
church,  (those  embodied  therein  by  the  council's  committee,)  to 
present  themselves  for  examination  before  a  committee,  a  major- 
ity of  whom  have  repeatedly  refused  to  acknowledge  them  as 
members  of  said  church,  or  as  entitled  to  any  of  the  rights  and 
privileges  of  membership,  and  this  too,  as  we  think,  in  violation  of 
high  moral  obligations,  too  sacred  to  be  disregarded  ;  and  be- 
cause that  the  said  committee  have  already  .pre -judged  in  the 
case,  by  thus  denyingto  said  members  the  rights  and  privileges 
to  which  they  are  entitled  by  the  result  of  an  enlightened  mu- 
tual council,  sanctioned  by  virtue  of  the  church. 

"  Secondly,  because  you  propose  to  place  in  this  same  com- 
mittee an  uncalled  for  and  unwarrantable  assumption  of  power, 
not  delegated  to  them  by  the  church — the  power  of  determining 
the  membership  of  all  those  recently  embodied  therein,  thereby 
depriving  the  said  church  of  any  posver  of  action  in  their  case.  " 

A  meeting  was  held  by  the  persons  worshipping  at  the 
old  house,  on  the  4th  of  December,  and  a  vote  passed 
to  call  a  "council  to  dissolve,  if  expedient,  the  pastoral 
relations  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips  with  the  church,  and 
also  to  consider  and  advise  the  church  in  relation  to  the 
unhappy  difficulties  existing  therein."  The  members 
worshipping  at  Mr.  Phillips'  meeting-house  were  invited 
to  attend  the  above  meeting,  but  declined,  alleging  as 
their  principal  reason, — "that  the-  result  of  the  council 
they  have  had  already,  had  been  the  occasion  of  immense 
evil,"  and  therefore  they  could  see  no  reason  "to  hope 
for  good  from  another."  Previous  to  the  assembling  of 
the  proposed   council,  however,    the   members  of    tire 


164  MR.    PHILLIPS'    LETTER. 

church  worshipping  at  the  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips'  meeting- 
house, "willing  to  do  any  thing  to  effect  a  reconciliation 
that  seemed  to  them  at  all  consistent  and  right,"  propos- 
ed that  the  persons  recommended  by  the  council's  com- 
mittee, "  designate  themselves,  six,  to  be  added  to  the  ex- 
amining committee."  This  was  declined,  by  replying 
that  "  it  would  not  be  any  more  satisfactory." 

They  consequently  proceeded  to  carry  into  execution 
their  vote  of  Dec.  4,  1835,  and  an  exparte  council  was 
convened  on  the  20th  of  January,  1836,  consisting  of 
the  church  of  Christ  in  New  Braintree,  under  the 
charge  of  Rev.  John  Fiske  ;  the  church  in  North  Brook- 
field,  under  Rev.  Dr.  Snell ;  the  church  in  Hubbardston, 
under  Rev.  Samuel  Gay;  the  church  in  Leicester,  un- 
der Rev.  John  Nelson;  the  church  in  Rutland,  under 
Rev.  Josiah  Clark  ;  the  church  in  Templeton,  under 
Rev.  Lemuel  P.  Bates;  the  church  in  West  Boylston, 
under  Rev.  Elijah  Paine,  and  the  church  in  Holden, 
under  Rev.  Wm.  P.  Paine, — each  pastor  being  accom^ 
panied  with  a  delegate.  Mr.  Phillips,  together  with  the 
members  who  had  worshipped  with  him,  were  apprised  of 
the  meeting  of  said  council  and  invited  to  be  present. — 
They  complied  with  said  invitation.  He  also  communi- 
cated the  following  letter  : — 

"  To  the  Council;'  $c. 
"Dear  Brethren : — I  was  informed  last  week,  by  a  note  from 
a  man  who  is  one  of  the  committee  for  convoking  another  coun- 
cil, that  the  first  business  of  the  council  would  be,  to  consider 
my  relation  to  the  church,  and  if  thought  expedient,  dissolve 
it.  Though  I  have  had  no  voice  in  calling  the  council,  you  may, 
perhaps,  wish,  or  at  any  rate,  be  willing  to  hear  something 
from  me  before  you  proceed  to  a  business  so  important  and  se- 
rious. The  facts  then,  in  the  case,  are  these.  Some  four  or  five 
weeks  after  the  last  council's  committee  had  been  called  here 
to  attend  to  the  duties  assigned  them,  a  majority  of  the  original 
church  addressed  a  communication  to  me,  in  which  they  avow-r 


RESULT  OP  COUNCIL.  105 

ed,  with  sufficient  clearness  their  unwillingness  to  have  the 
proposed  union  go  into  effect  under  present  circumstances,  and 
requested  me,  as  their  pastor,  to  resume  my  labors  in  their 
former  place  of  worship.  This  communication  I  read  to  the 
congregation  at  the  old  meeting-house,  and  then  returned  to 
my  church.  On  my  doing  this,  a  portion  of  the  original  church 
merged  themselves  among  the  people  at  the  old  house,  and  be- 
gan to  sustain  a  separate  public  worship,  first  by  reading  and 
subsequently  preaching.  Thus  commenced  the  present  practi- 
cal division  in  the  original  church.  I  resumed  and  continued 
my  labours  as  requested,  until  utterly  disabled  in  health,  when 
I  gave  notice  that  I  could  do  no  more  at  present.  When,  after 
several  weeks  relaxation  and  journeying,  I  had  recovered  suffi- 
cient health  to  be  able  to  preach,  I  found  circumstances  to  be 
such  as  rendered  it,  in  my  judgment,  inexpedient  to  resume 
my  labors.  In  this  the  church,  with  great  apparent  reluctance 
and  grief,  acquiesced.  I  do  not  then,  you  now  perceive,  doubt- 
less, regard  myself  as  the  pastor  of  the  people  who  propose  that 
you  should  dismiss  me.     I  am  not  their  pastor. 

"You  will  not  think  me  wanting  then,  I  trust,  brethren,  in 
Christian  respect  and  courtesy,  if  I  say,  in  view  of  these  facts, 
that  I  cannot  admit,  but. do  hereby  deny  your  right  to  exercise 
any  jurisdiction  in  the  case.  The  church  of  which  I  am  pastor 
and  myself  both,  decline  uniting  in  the  council.  You  will  not 
then  brethren,  I  trust,  undertake    to  '  sit  and  act  upon  me.' 

"Praying  that  you  may  be  endued  abundantly  with  the 
wisdom  which  I  know  you  will  feel  that  you  need,  should  you 
get  a  full  view  of  the  entangled  and  dreadful  state  of  the  relig- 
ious affairs  of  the  place,  I  subscribe  myself, 

Yours,  &c,  A.  Phillips." 

The  Council  came  to  the  following  result : — 

"The  Council  are  unanimously  of  opinion,  that  there  is  but 
one  Congregational  Church  in  Princeton,  viz :  that  which  is 
called  '  the  united  church.'  and  that  now  worshipping  in  what  is 
called  'the  old  meeting  house'; 

"  That  whereas,  the  Rev.  Alonzo  Phillips,  pastor  and  minis- 
ter of  the  Congregational  Church  and  Society  in  Princeton,  has 
refused  and  neglected  to  administer  the  ordinances  to  said 
church  and  society  for  a  long  time,  and  whereas  the  said  Mr. 
Phillips  has  refused  to  unite  in  calling  a  Mutual  Ecclesiastical 
Council  to  dissolve  said  relation,  when  requested  to  do  so,  there- 
fore hindering  the  prosperity  and  wounding  the  cause  of  Zion  ; 

"  Voted,  That  the  pastoral  relation  subsisting  between  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Phillips  and  the  Congregational  Church  in  this  place, 
ought  to  be,  and  hereby  is  dissolved." 

15 


166  MR.    PHILLIPS'    DISMISSION. 

To  the  foregoing  charge  Mr.  Phillips  replies*: — "  The 
charge  speaks  of  me,  you  perceive  as  the  minister  of 
the  Congregational  Society.  But  I  never  was  their  min- 
ister. They  never  did  any  thing  to  constitute  me 
their  minister;  they  never  regarded  me  as  such.  Who 
ever  heard  of  a  Society  passing  a  vote  to  request  their 
minister  to  supply  their  l pulpit  for  the  present  V  Here 
then,  reverend  gentlemen,  you  are  totally  mistaken. 
The  first  part  of  the  charge  is,  that  I  had  ■  refused 
to  administer  the  ordinances  to  them' :  To  refuse, 
means,  according  to  Webster,  to  deny  a  request,  de- 
mand, invitation,  or  command  ;  to  decline  to  do  what 
is  solicited,  claimed,  or  commanded.  This  I  have  never 
done.  What  the  council  call  the  church  at  the  old 
meeting-house,  never  requested,  nor  invited,  nor  com- 
manded me  to  administer  the  ordinances  to  them.  All 
the  request  I  ever  received  from  the  people  at  the  old 
house,  was  that  from  the  first  parish,  to  supply  their  'pul- 
pit for  the  present';  and  with  this  request  I  complied." 

As  we  have  already  been  apprised,  in  the  letter  of 
Mr.  Phillips  to  the  Council,  he  had  asked  a  dismission 
previous  to  the  convening  of  the  Council,  which  was 
granted.  This  occurred  the  13th  of  January,  1836,  at 
a  meeting f  "called  in  part  at  his  request,"  when,  on 
instance  of  the  following  letter,  "  the  church  voted 
unanimously,  in  consideration  of  the  present  unhappy 
state  of  affairs,  tho'  with  much  apparent  reluctance  and 
grief,  to  grant  his  request"  : — 

"  To  the  Church  of  Christ. 

"  Dear  Brethren, — When  I  answered,  more  than  fifteen  years 
ago,  your  unanimous  call  to  settle  with  you  in  '  the  work  of  the 
gospel  ministry,'  I  expressed,  as  some  of  you  doubtless  recol- 

*  See  Phillips' Appeal,  pp.22,  23.        f  See  Church  Records,  vol.  i. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    NOTICE.  167 

iect,  a  willingness  and  determination,  to  cast  in  my  lot  with 
yours,  then  in  no  very  encouraging  circumstances  ;  to  live  or 
die  with  you.  The  whole  history  of  my  ministry  shows,  that 
I  have  never  swerved  from  this  purpose.  The  history  of  this 
church,  too,  shows  that  my  ministry,  its  many  faults  notwith- 
standing, has  been  quite  as  successful  as  that  of  most  other 
men's  under  similar  circumstances.  The  course,  however, 
which  has  been  pursued  by  some  of  the  members  of  the  church 
for  the  last  six  months,  the  particulars  of  which,  as  they  are 
well  known  to  you  all,  I  need  not  state  in  this  communication, 
have  thrown  obstacles  in  the  way  of  my  success  in  future,  and 
inflicted  a  wound  on  my  feelings,  which  must,  doubtless,  justify 
me  in  your  view,  in  requesting  you,  as  I  now  do,  to  allow  me  to 
leave  you,  to  unite  with  me  in  the  usual  measures  for  dissolving 
our  connexion.  And  may  the  God  of  peace  and  love  be  with 
you  forever.  A.  Phillips. 

Princeton,  Janum-y  12,  1 836." 

A  Council  convened  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Phillips  and 
consummated  the  vote  of  the  church  before  mentioned 
relative  to  his  dismission.  Mr.  Phillips,  during  his 
ministry  in  Princeton,  had  enjoyed  the  unlimited  confi- 
dence of  the  members  of  his  church  and  society  nearly 
to  the  time  of  his  dismission.  Several,  a  short  time  pre- 
vious thereto,  became  disaffected  however,  as  we  have 
seen  in  the  narrative.  About  sixty  young  persons  united 
with  the  church  in  the  course  of  his  ministry.  No  year 
parsed  without  receiving  some  new  members.  The 
whole  number  added  during  this  period  was  one  hundred 
and  thirty-five. 

Rev.  Alonzo  Phillips  was  born  at  Bradford,  in  this 
State,  Sept.  1,  1783.  His. father,  Capt.  Timothy  Phil- 
lips, was  a  revolutionary  patriot.  He  prepared  for  col- 
lege at  the  academy  in  Bradford ;  graduated,  in  1815, 
at  the  Middlebury  College,  Vt.,  and  immediately  com- 
menced his  theological  course  at  Andover.  He  spent 
his  first  year  in  the  ministry  as  a  domestic  missionary  in 
the   State  of  Vermont.     Soon  after  his  dismission  from 


168  CONGREGATIONS  UNITE. 

Princeton  he  removed  with  his  family  to  Newburyport, 
where  he  resided  until  his  death,  which  occurred  April 
24, 1838.  During  the  years  of  his  ministry  he  prepared 
about  550  MS.  sermons.  These  sermons  were  well 
studied,  and  abundantly  evince  a  mind  naturally  clear 
and  discriminating. 

On  the  9th  of  June,  1836,  a  committee  was  appointed 
by  the  First  Parish  to  "  request  the  society  worshipping 
at  the  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips'  Meeting  House  to  appoint  a 
committee"  to  see  if  they  can  agree  upon  measures  for 
effecting  a  "  Union."  At  a  meeting  of  the  Evangelical 
Society,  on  the  20th  of  the  same  month,  it  was  voted 
"  to  choose  a  committee,  consisting  of  five"  persons,  to 
meet  the  above  mentioned  committee,  with  the  following 
instructions: — "That  the  only  condition  on  which  the 
members  of  the  First  Parish  can  be  united  with  us,  is, 
by  uniting  with  our  society  in  a  legal  way.  In  case 
they  see  fit  to  unite  with  us,  we  will  allow  them  to  vote 
in  all  matters,  or  suspend  action  till  they  become  voters 
by  law."  It  was  also  i(  Voted,  That  we  feel  the  busi- 
ness must  be  closed  soon  and  that  we  cannot  make  or 
receive  any  more  communications  on  this  subject  of 
union.  The  First  Parish  refused  to  accede  to  this  vote; 
but  at  the  same  time  "  voted  that  they  were  willing  to 
meet  for  public  worship,  in  either  of  the  Congregational 
Meeting  Houses."  Whereupon,  the  Society  worshipping 
at  the  house  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips'  former  labor, 
voted  that  they  were  "  willing,  as  individuals,  that  the 
First  Parish  should  come  in  and  worship  with  them." 
The  First  Parish  voted  to  accept  this  invitation,  and  at 
the  same  time,  "  to  suspend  meetings  at  the  first  parish 
meeting  house  for    the  present,  until   otherwise  ordered 


MUTUAL    COUNCIL.  163 

by  said  parish,  and  meet  in  the  new  meeting  house  for 
religious  worship."* 

The  members  worshipping  at  Mr.  Phillips'  "  former 
place  of  labor,"  had,  previous  to  this,  invited  Rev.  Eli- 
jah Demond,  of  Holliston,  to  preach  to  them;  and  in  a 
short  time  they  invited  him  to  settle  with  them.  He 
however  negatived  this  call,  and  subsequently,  on  the 
24th  of  September,  1836,  accepted  an  invitation  from 
those  previously  worshipping  at  the  old  house  to  become 
their  pastor.  On  the  26th  of  October  following,  Mr. 
Demond  was  installed.  The  exercises  on  that  occasion 
were  as  follows : — Introductory  prayer  by  Rev.  Samuel 
Gay  of  Hubbardston  ;  Sermon  by  Rev.  Jacob  Ide,  D.  D., 
of  West  Medway;  Installing  prayer  by  Rev.  Job  Fisher 
of  New  Braintree;  Charge  to  the  pastor  by  Rev.  Dr. 
Snell  of  North  Brookfield  ;  Right  hand  of  fellowship  by 
Rev.  Cyrus  Mann  of  Westminster ;  Address  to  the 
Church  and  Society  by  Rev.  Josiah  Clark  of  Rutland  ; 
Concluding  prayer  by  Rev.  John  Nelson  ;  Benediction  by 
the  Pastor. 

A  committee  was  chosen  in  November,  1836,  who 
were  instructed  to  remove  the  Sabbath  School  Library, 
from  the  "small  to  the  large  meetincr-house."* 

The  members  that  stiil  worshipped  at  the  "  small 
house,"  thirty-two  in  number,  requested  a  dismission 
and  recommendation,  with  a  view  to  be  formed  "  into  a 
new  Church  by  themselves."  Their  request,  however, 
was  not  granted.  It  was  renewed  the  second  time, 
without  avail.  Whereupon  it  was  agreed  to  call  a  mu- 
tual council,  to  "consider  the  subject  of"  their  dismission^ 
Accordingly,  a   council    was    convened    Feb.  7,  1838, 

*  Whether  this  vote  was  ever  rescinded  we  arc  unable  to  state. 

f  The  committee  were  Josiah  Cutting,  Caleb  Dana,  and  Charles  B.  Temple- 

15* 


170  REV.  MR.  HARDING. 

consisting  of  the  church  in  Hubbardston  under  the 
charge  of  Rev.  Samuel  Gay ;  the  church  in  Leicester  un- 
der Rev.  John  Nelson  ;  the  church  in  Rutland  under  Rev. 
Josiah  Clark ;  the  church  in  Hardvvick  under  Rev.  Wm. 
Eaton,  and  the  church  in  Keene,  N.  H.,  under  Rev. 
Z.  S.  Barstow, — each  of  the  ministers  of  said  churches 
being  accompanied  with  a  delegate.  The  following  is 
the  result: — "  The  council  express  their  sympathy  with 
the  aggrieved  persons,  as  the  long  tried  friends  of  truth, 
and  as  honestly  supposing  themselves  entitled  to  a  dis- 
mission because  they  cannot,  as  they  think,  conscien- 
tiously come  into  the  measures  of  the  church,  lest  they 
approve  of  things  that  are  wrong.  And  yet  we  think 
they  misjudge  in  this  respect ;  and  on  the  other  hand, 
the  council  are  fully  persuaded  that  the  reasons  urged  by 
the  church  against  granting  the  request  of  the  petition- 
ers, are  sound  and  judicious;  and  that  it  would  be  wrong 
to  perpetuate  divisions  by  erecting  a  new  church  state  in 
Princeton."* 

The  present  Congregational  Meeting  House  was  com- 
pleted in  1838.  Mr.  Demond  continued  his  labors  in 
this  place  until  1839,  when,  at  his  request,  he  was  dis- 
missed on  the  8th  of  November  of  that  year.  He  was  a 
graduate  of  Dartmouth  College,  Hanover,  N.  H.,  in 
1S1G,  and  pursued  his  theological  studies  at  Andover. 

Rev.  Mr.  Harding,  the  successor  to  Rev*  Mr.  De- 
mond, was  ordained  March  20,  1840.  The  exercises 
were — Introductory  prayer  by  Rev.  Mr.  Paine  of  Hoi* 
den  ;  Sermon  by  Rev.  Mr.  Rogers  of  Franklin  st., Boston  ; 
Ordaining  prayer  by  Rev.  Samuel  Gay  of  Hubbardston ; 
Charge  to  the  pastor  by  Rev.  Josiah  Clark  of  Rutland  ; 
Fellowship  of  the  churches  by  Rev.  Samuel  Lamson    of 

*  For  the  course  taken  by  the  disaffected,  see  succeeding  chapter. 


REV.    MR.    GOLDSMITH.  171 

Brighton  ;  Address  to  the  church  and  society  by  Rev. 
Cyrus  Mann  of  Westminster;  Concluding  prayer  by 
Rev.  S.  G.  Buckingham  of  Mill  bury;  Benediction. — 
Mr.  Harding  was  dismissed,  at  his  request,  on  the  28th 
of  August,  1844. 

In  March,  1845,  it  was  voted  by  the  church  and 
parish  to  give  Rev.  Joseph  Vaill  a  call  to  settle.  Mr.  Vaill 
however  declined.  In  June  of  the  same  year,  Rev.  Al- 
fred Goldsmith  accepted  an  invitation  to  settle  in  Prince- 
ton. His  installation  took  place  July  15,  1845.  The 
exercises  on  the  occasion  were  as  follows  : — Introductory 
prayer  by  Rev.  J.  W.  Cross  of  West  Boylston ;  Ser- 
mon by  Rev.  G.  W,  Blagdon  of  Old  South  Church, 
Boston ;  Installing  prayer  by  Rev.  S.  Sweetser  of  Cen- 
tral Church,  Worcester  ;  Charge  to  the  pastor  by  Rev. 
E.  Smalley  of  Union  Church,  Worcester  ;  Fellowship 
of  the  churches  by  Rev.  A.  Bullard  of  Barre  ;  Address 
to  the  people  by  Rev.  S.  S.  Smith  of  Westminster  ;  Con- 
cluding prayer  by  Rev.  O.  B.  Bid  well  of  Hubbardston, 
and  Benediction  by  the  pastor.  Mr,  Goldsmith  contin- 
ued his  labors  until  the  17th  of  June,  1849,  when  he 
was,  at  his  request,  dismissed. 

Since  the  last  date,  the  Congregational  Church  in 
Princeton  has  had  no  settled  pastor.  It  was  voted, 
June  20,  1850,  to  give  the  Rev.  Wm.  D.  Hitchcock  a 
call  to  settle  over  the  church  in  the  work  of  the  gospel 
ministry.  Mr.  Hitchcock  negatived  the  call.  He  how- 
ever continued  to  supply  their  pulpit  for  ten  months  ; 
and  has  since  settled  over  the  Congregational  Church  in 
Clinton.  Their  pulpit,  since  he  left,  has  been  supplied 
by  different  ministers,  mostly  by  students  from  the  The- 
ological Seminary  at  Andover. 


172  METHODIST  EPISCOrAL  CHURCH. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

METHODIST    EPISCOPAL     CHURCH. 

Introduction  of  Methodism  into  Princeton — Messrs.  Lewis  and  Fay  join  Cla?s> 
at  Worcester — First  Methodist  Preaching  by  Pev.  James  Porter — Revival  of 
Religion  under  the  Labors  of  Rev.  Mr.  Paine — Formation  of  Classes — 
Hubbardston  and  Rutland  made  Stations— New  Meeting  House — First 
Quarterly  Conference — Purchase  of  Furniture  for  Parsonage — Present  to 
Ihe  Church — Stationed  Preachers — Munificence  of  Mis.  Nabby  Brooks. 

Methodism  is  said  to  be  "a  child  of  Providence." 
That  it  was  introduced  into  Princeton  under  Providen- 
tial circumstances  none  can  doubt,  upon  becoming  ac- 
quainted with  its  brief  history.  During  the  first  of  the 
year  1838,  Mr.  G-eorge  Lewis  and  Mr.  Silas  Fay,  the 
former  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church  and  the  latter  a 
member  of  the  Congregational  church,  requested  dis- 
mission from  those  churches.  Their  request  being 
granted,  they  joined  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in 
Worcester.  The  Rev.  James'  Porter,  who  was  the 
stationed  preacher  at  that  time  in  Worcester,  and  under 
whose  watchcare  they  had  placed  themselves,  was  invited 
to  come  to  Princeton  to  preach.  With  this  request  he 
very  readily  complied,  and,  in  March  of  the  same  year, 
preached  in  the  old  Town  House,  to  a  large  concourse 
of  people.  He  learned  at  this  time,  the  condition  of  the 
place,  and  the  existence  of  a  desire  to  become  better 
acquainted  with  Methodist  doctrines  and  usages,  on  the 
part  of  many  of  the  people. 

As  they  desired  preaching  on  the  Sabbath,  which  he 
was  unable  to  render  himself,  he  requested  Rev.  Benja- 
min Paine,  of  Oxford,  (who  at  that  time  sustained  a  su- 
pernumary  relation  to  the  New  England  Annual  Confer- 
ence of  the  M.  E.  Church,)  to  spend  a  few  Sabbaths  in 
Princeton.     Mr.  Paine   complied  with  the  request,  and 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  173 

commenced  preaching  here  the  third  Sabbath  in  April, 
1838,  and  continued  until  the  first  of  June  following, — 
at  which  time  he  engaged  to  preach  for  them  one  year 
additional.  From  the  commencement  of  his  ministerial 
labors  among  the  people,  there  was  an  evident  serious- 
ness and  an  increasing  attention  to  the  words  of  life 
preached  by  him,  until  some  time  in  August  following ; 
when,  at  Valley  village,  or  "  Slab  city,"  where  he  had 
held  a  third  service  on  the  Sabbath,  a  revival  of  religion 
broke  out.  Such  was  the  interest  now  manifested  on 
the  subject  of  religion,  that  hundreds  assembled  to  hear 
the  word,  while  the  revival  influence  extended  into  every 
part  of  the  town  and  also  into  several  of  the  adjacent 
towns,  especially  Hubbardston  and  Rutland.  It  is  said 
to  have  been  the  most  extensive  and  powerful  revival  of 
religion  ever  experienced  in  this  community.  As  the 
fruits  of  it,  many  were  added  to  the  church  of  Christ. — 
On  the  15th  of  August,  Mr.  Paine  formed  a  class  of 
about  twenty  members  in  Hubbardston,  and  on  the  31st, 
one   in  this  town  of  about  thirty  members. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  succeeding  year,  another  class 
was  formed,  in  Rutland,  consisting  of  twenty-five  mem- 
bers. During  the  conference  year  many  accessions 
were  made  to  these  classes,  especially  to  the  one  in 
Princeton,  so  that  at  its  close,  in  June,  1839,  the  M.  E. 
Church  numbered  in  all,  comprising  the  three  classes 
referred  to,  138  communicants.  Many  of  this  number 
were  the  former  members  of  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips'  church, 
which  has  been  conspicuous  in  the  preceding  chapters. 
Many  accessions  during  this  revival  were  also  made  to 
the  Congregationalist  church  ill  this  place.*  At  the 
session  of  the  Conference  in  June,  1839,  as   Mr.  Paine 

*  See  Church  Records,  vol.fi. 


174  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

had  heretofore  sustained  a  supernumary  relation,  it  was 
changed  to  that  of  effective,  and  he  was  then  stationed 
at  Princeton.  At  the  same  Conference,  Hubbardston 
was  also  made  a  station,  and  Rev.  J.  Whitman,  jr.,  ap- 
pointed to  labor  there ;  and  Rutland  was  left  to  be  sup-  , 
plied  by  the  Presiding  Elder. 

Immediately  on  the  return  of  Mr.  Paine  from  Confer- 
ence, the  church  and  society  under  his  charge,  feeling 
the  need  of  a  more  convenient  place  for  public  worship, 
commenced  building  a  meeting-house.  This  house  was 
erected  at  an  expense  of  about  forty-five  hundred  dol- 
lars, exclusive  of  the  bell,  (which  was  purchased  by 
subscription,  at  an  expense  of  about  five  hundred  dol- 
lars, of  which  Jonas  Brooks,  Esq.  paid  two  hundred 
dollars.)  It  was  completed  in  the  course  of  the  ensuing 
winter,  and  dedicated  on  the  13th  of  February,  1840. 
The  dedicatory  prayer  was  offered  by  the  Pastor,  and 
the  sermon  preached  by  Rev.  ]YI.  L.  Scudder,  now  of 
the  New  York  East  Conference.  During  the  early  part 
of  the  year  1840,  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Society  com- 
menced its  legal  existence.  The  first  quarterly  meeting 
conference  was  held  on  the  16th  of  February  of  that 
year.  Rev.  Bartholomew  Otheman,  now  of  Providence 
Annual  Conference,  was  the  Presiding  Elder.  At  this 
Conference,  George  Lewis,  Jonas  Brooks,  Esq.  and  Ed- 
ward A.  Goodnow,  were  elected  the  first  stewards  of  the 
M.  E.  Church  in  Princeton.  The  class  leaders  that  had 
been  previously  appointed  by  the  pastor,  were,  John  H. 
Brooks  and  Luther  Crawford. 

Mr.  Paine,  who  accomplished  much  for  the  society  in 
its  infancy,  continued  his  labors  with  them  until  June, 
1840,  which  date  terminated  the  term  preachers  are  al- 
lowed to  remain  at   one   time,  on  the  same  station,  or 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.  175 

circuit,  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  connection.  Rev. 
Stephen  Cushing  was  appointed  as  the  successor  of  Mr. 
Paine.  During  the  ministrations  of  Mr.  Cushing,  a 
considerable  amount  of  furniture  was  purchased  by  sub- 
scription, for  the  use  of  the  stationed  preachers  in  Prince- 
ton. In  the  year  1841,  Rev.  William  R.  Stone  was  sta- 
tioned over  this  church,  whose  pastoral  labors  were  high- 
ly appreciated  by  the  church  and  congregation.  Rdv. 
J.  R.  Sawyer  was  appointed  to  succeed  Mr.  Stone  in 
1842.  Mr.  Sawyer,  after  laboring  a  few  months  with 
the  people,  withdrew  from  the  M.  E.  Church  and  con- 
nected himself  with  the  ■'  True  Wesleyans." 

Fortunately  for  the  church  and  society,  Rev.  Joseph 
W.  Lewis,  who  was  at  that  time  preaching  in  West 
Boylston,  was  engaged  as  Mr.  Sawyer's  substitute.  Mr. 
Lewis  was  vigilant  in  looking  after  the  spiritual  inter* 
ests  of  the  church.  He  labored  with  them  with  great 
acceptance  until  the  session  of  the  Conference,  in  1843, 
from  which  he  was  returned  to  Princeton,  as  also  from 
the  succeeding  one  in  1844,  closing  his  labors  here  in 
1845.  During  his  fministrations  several  were  added  to 
the  church.  Rev.  Kinsman  Atkinson  succeeded  Mr. 
Lewis,  who  was  diligent  in  the  work  of  the  ministry. 

In  1846,  Rev.  Howard  C.  Dunham  was  the  stationed 
preacher.  In  September  of  this  year  Mrs.  Olive  Winch 
presented  to  the  church  a  set  of  communion  service. 
The  money  by  which  said  set  was  purchased,  was  earned 
by  her  own  industry  after  having  passed  the  age  of  three 
score  years  and  ten.  On  the  6th  of  September,  1846, 
the  following  resolution  was  unanimously  adopted  by  the 
church: — "  Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  this  church 
be  given  to  our  aged  and  respected  sister  Winch,  for  the 
set  of  communion  service  she  has  this  day  presented  to 


176  BAPTIST    CHURCH. 

us,  with  the  assurance  of  our  Christian  regards,  and 
prayers  that  she  may  ever  feel  that  it  is  more  blessed  to 
give  than  to  receive. " 

In  the  years  1S47 — S,  Rev.  Albert  A.  Cook,  was 
stationed  here,  whose  labors  much  increased  the  concrre- 
gation.  The  succeeding  conference  year,  Rev.  Henry 
M.  Bridge  was  the  pastor.  Rev.  Jeremiah  L.  Hana- 
ford  was  appointed  in  April,  1850,  and  continued  till 
April,  1852.  Rev.  Simon  Putnam  is  the  stationed 
preacher  this  year.* 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  and  Society  i  n 
Princeton,  have  a  fund  of  little  more  than  $600,  which 
was  presented  said  church  and  society  some  years  since 
by  Mrs.  Nabby  Brooks,  the  annual  interest  of  which 
goes  to  the  support  of  public  worship.  The  church  gives 
promise  of  accomplishing  extensive  good.  Hitherto 
its  influence  has  been  most  salutary,  and  we  trust  still 
more  numerous  and  healthful  influences  will  emanate 
from  it.f 

*  We  have  not  thought  it  best  to  give  any  biographical  sketches  of  the  dif- 
ferent preachers  of  this  church,  as  their  stay  has  necessarily  been  limited. 
j  For  Articles  of  Faith  of  the  fit.  E.  Church,  see  Discipline,  sec.  ii. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

THE    BAPTIST    CHURCH. 

Formation  of  the  Baptist  Society— First  Baptist  in  Town—First  Preaching- 
Rev.  Mr.  Andrews— Organization  of  the  Church— Articles  of  Faith— Rev. 
Mr.  Walker— Rev.  Mr.  Johnson— Settlement  and  Dismission  of  Mr.  Morse 
—Call  and  Settlement  of  Mr.  Lovel — His  Dismission — Settlement  of  Mr. 
Ball — Settlement  of  Mr.  Cunningham — Accessions  to  the  Church— Dis- 
mission of  Mr.  Cunningham— Temporary  Supply  of  the  Pulpit. 

The  records  of  the  Baptist  Society  do    not   bear    an 
earlier  date  than  1817.     On  the  9th  of  April  of  that  year 


BAPTIST    CHURCH.  177 

sixty-one  individuals,  several  of  whom  were  members  of 
the  Baptist  church  in  Holden,  formed  themselves  into  a 
society  by  the  name  of  "the  Baptist  Society  in  Prince- 
ton." Tradition  reports  that  Mr.  Aaron  Perry,  living 
upon  the  farm  now  known  by  the  name  of  the  "  Rice 
place,"  was  the  first  person  of  this  denomination  belong- 
ing to  town.  The  records  of  the  town  partially  confirm 
the  voice  of  tradition.  At  a  town  meeting,  held  May  5, 
1770,  it  was  voted  that  "  Aaron  Perry  be  left  out  of  the 
ministerial  rates/'*  on  the  account  of  his  being  of  the 
Baptist  persuasion,  and  an  article  was  inserted  in  the 
warrant  for  the  town  meeting  to  be  held  May  27,  1776, 
"to  see  if  the  town  will  abate  all,  or  any  of  the  ministe- 
rial rates  of  those  persons  that  are  of  the  Baptist  persua- 
sion." The  vote  of  the  town  in  reference  to  this  article 
reads  as  follows  : — "  Voted,  to  abate  the  ministerial  rates 
of  Stephen  Ralph,  Sadey  Mason,  and  Aaron  Perry." 
For  several  years  subsequent  to  this  period  this  favor 
was  refused. 

The  records  of  the  Society  commence,  as  before  stated, 
April  9,  1817.  William  Everett  was  chosen  moderator, 
and  Stephen  Mirick,  jr.,  clerk.  Previous  to  this  time, 
however,  there  was  occasional  Baptist  preaching  at  the 
house  of  Mr.  Perry,  and,  as  early  as  the  year  1805,  the 
Rev.  Elisha  Adams,  then  Pastor  of  the  Baptist  church 
in  Templeton,  commenced  preaching  in  town  at  the 
residence  of  Mr  William  Everett,  usually  spending 
eight  or  ten  Sabbaths  in  Princeton  during  each  year. 
The  Baptists  in  town  then  belonged  to  the  Baptist  church 
in  Templeton;  but  on    the   31st   of  December,  1807, 

*  The  "  ministerial  rates"  related  to  what  was  raised  for  the  support  of  the 
Established  Church. 

16 


178  BAPTIST    CHURCH. 

at   their  request,   they    were  dismissed,    and    became 
connected  with  the  church  in  Holden. 

Under  the  ministration  of  Mr.  Andrews,  several  addi- 
tions were  made  to  the  church.  He  continued  his  labors 
until  IS  19.  For  three  years  subsequent  thereto,  Rev. 
John  Walker  preached  to  them  one  fourth  of  the  time. 
There  was  a  revival  of  religion  under  his  ministry,  and 
as  fruits  of  it  nearly  twenty  became  connected  with  the 
church  in  Holden.  Their  meetings  during  this  period 
were  usually  held  at  one  of  the  school-houses,  mainly  at 
the  "  North  school-house,"  so  called.  In  1822  they  re- 
quested a  dismission  from  the  church  in  Holden,  for  the 
purpose  of  being  "  united  into  a  distinct  church."  This- 
request  was  granted  on  the  31st  of  July  of  that  year,  and 
they  were  duly  organized  as  a  Church  of  Christ  in 
Princeton,  numbering  at  the  time  twenty-eight  members. 
The  following  are  the  Articles  of  Faith  adopted  at  the 
organization : — - 

"  1.  We  believe  that  the  Sacred  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and 
New  Testaments,  were  given  by  infallible  inspiration  of  God, 
and  that  they  contain  our  only  and  sufficient  rule  of  faith  and 
practice. 

"  2.  We  believe  that  the  Holy  Scriptures  teach  us  that  there 
is  only  one  living  and  true  God  ;  possessing  infinite  immutable 
wisdom,  power,  holiness,  justice,  goodness  and  truth  ;  and  that 
this  one  God  consists  in  three  Persons — the  Father,  the  Son, 
and  the  Holy  Ghost. 

"3.  We  believe  that  the  first  man,  Adam,  was  created  up- 
right and  holy,  and  by  a  divine  constitution  was  placed  the  head 
and  representative  of  his  posterity,  so  that  all  mankind  descend- 
ing from  him  by  mutual  generation,  are,  in  consequence  of  his 
disobedience,  involved  in  a  state  of  sin  and  guilt,  yet  so  as  not 
to  destroy  the  moral  agency  of  mankind,  nor  the  personal  re- 
sponsibility of  every  individual. 

"4.  We  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is  truly  and  properly 
the  Son  of  God,  and  that  in  him  the  Divine  and  human  natures 
are  no  united  as  to  be  one  Person,  and  that  he  is  the  only  Me- 
diator between  God  and  man. 

«'  5.   ^y e  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  was  from  Eternity  set  as 


BAPTIST     CHURCH.  179 


the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  and  that  in  that  covenant  a 
certain  number  of  the  human  race  was  given  to  him,  of  the  Fa- 
ther, by  an  irrevocable  purpose  of  Grace,  who  shall  infallibly 
be  saved  through  the  Mediator  of  the  atonement,  by  faith  in 
Christ,  renovation  of  heart,  and  true  holiness. 

"  6.  We  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  has  made  a  true  and 
proper  atonement  for  mankind  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself  for  sin. 

"  7.  We  belive  that  all  who  are  truly  regenerated  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  and  so  are  penitent  believers  in  Christ,  will  be 
infallibly  saved. 

"8.  We  believe  that  all  true  believers  are  justified  by  faith 
in  Christ,  and  their  sins  freely  forgiven,  for  the  sake  of  the 
atonement. 

"9.  We  believe  it  is  the  duty  of  believers  to  be  baptized 
by  a  total  immersion  in  water,  and  for  baptized  believers  to  par- 
take of  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  that  regularly  ordained  minis- 
ters of  the  Gospel  are  the  only  authorized  administrators  of 
those  ordinances. 

"  10.  We  believe  that  the  first  day  of  the  week  ought  to 
be  observed  as  the  Christian  Sabbath. 

"  11.  We  believe  that  every  Christian  church  has  full  power 
to  receive,  discipline,  and  exclude  her  own  members,  according 
to  the  laws  of  Christ,  yet  in  proper  subordination  to  the  offices 
which  the  great  Head  of  the  church  has  appointed. 

"  12.  We  believe  that  the  officers  which  Christ  has  appoint- 
ed in  his  church  are  Bishops  and  Deacons,  whose  official  au- 
thority is  exclusively  ministerial. 

"  13.  We  believe  that  every  Christian  who  has  a  family  is 
bound  to  maintain  visible  religion  in  it. 

"  14.  We  believe  that  all  men  will  be  raised  from  the  dead 
and  judged  according  to  the  deeds  done  in  the  body,  and  that 
the  righteous  will  be  received  into  endless  Happiness,  and  the 
wicked  will  go  away  into  endless  Punishment." 

After  the  formation  of  the  church  in  Princeton,  Mr. 
Walker  confined  his  labors  exclusively  to  the  church  in 
Holden,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Andrews  was  again  employed 
to  preach  in  town  half  of  the  time.  He  continued  his 
labors  nearly  two  years.  Rev.  Elisha  Andrews  was  a 
man  of  uncommon  talents,  as  a  preacher,  although  he 
had  never  enjoyed  the  advantages  of  a  College  education. 
He  is  reported  to  have  been  remarkably  happy  in  the 
expository  style  of  preaching. 


ISO  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

Upon  the  leaving  of  Mr.  Andrews  the  church  were 
dependent  upon  temporary  engagements  until  1826, 
when  Rev.  Elias  Johnson  became  their  pastor,  preaching 
alternate  Sabbaths  in  Princeton  and  Westminister. 
During  his  ministrations  nearly  thirty  were  added  to  the 
church.  In  1828,  a  meeting  house  was  erected  at  an 
expense  of  82,000.  This  house  was  located  about  a 
mile  north  from  the  centre  of  the  town,  and  was  built  of 
brick.  Mr.  Johnson  closed  his  ministerial  labors  with 
the  society  in  1830. 

In  March,  1830,  about  thirty  members  requested  and 
obtained  a  dismission  from  this  church,  and  formed 
themselves  into  a  distinct  church  at  Westminster.  On 
the  27th  of  September  following,  Rev.  Appleton  Morse 
received  an  unanimous  call  to  become  the  pastor  of  the 
church  and  society  in  Princeton  and  Westminister. 
Mr.  Morse,  having  accepted  the  call,  was  ordained  Oct. 
19.  The  following  were  the  exercises  on  that  occa- 
sion : — Reading  the  Scriptures  by  Rev.  Asaph  Meriam 
ofBoylston;  Introductory  prayer  by  the  same;  Sing- 
ing by  the  choir ;  Sermon  by  Rev.  Ira  Chase,  Profes- 
sor of  Biblical  Theology  in  the  Newton  Theological  Ins- 
titute ;  Anthem  ;  Ordaining  prayer  by  Rev.  Elisha  Sam- 
son of  Harvard  ;  Charge  by  Rev.  Abel  Fisher  of  West 
Boylstoa ;  Right  hand  of  fellowship  by  Rev.  John  Walk- 
er of  Holden  ;  Address  to  the  church  by  Rev.  Mr.  Fish- 
er; Concluding  prayer  by  Rev.  Samuel  Everett  of  Mil- 
ford,  N.  H. ;  Ordination  Anthem  ;  Benediction  by  the 
pastor.  Mr.  Morse  divided  his  labors  between  the  two 
places  until  the  spring  of  1831,  when  they  were  confined 
exclusively  to  Princeton.  About  twenty-five  were  ad- 
ded to  the  church  under  his  labors,  which  terminated 
April  1,  1832,  at  his  own  request. 


BAPTIST     CHURCH.  181 

The  Rev.  Appleton  Morse  was  born  in  Hopkinton, 
in  this  State,  March  7,  1805.  He  entered  Brown  Uni- 
versity in  June,  1824.  "  During  his  sophomore  year, 
ill  health  obliged  him  to  leave  the  University  and  sus- 
pend for  a  time  his  studies."  On  his  recovery,  he  en- 
tered upon  a  theological  course  at  the  Institution  at 
Newton,  and  graduated  in  1830.  Soon  after  his  dis- 
mission from  Princeton,  he  was  settled  in  Fitchburg, 
where  he  remained  for  several  years. 

After  the  dismission  of  Mr.  Morse,  the  church  was 
supplied  with  preaching  from  temporary  sources  until 
1834.  In  June  of  that  year,  Rev.  Nehcmiah  G.  Loveli 
received  and  accepted  an  invitation  to  become  their  min- 
ister. He  was  ordained  on  the  19th  of  July,  1834. 
Exercises  as  follows  : — Introductory  prayer  and  reading 
the  Scriptures  by  Rev.  Alonzo  Phillips,  pastor  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  in  Princeton ;  Sermon  by  Rev.  Mr, 
Patterson;  Ordaining  prayer  by  Rev.  Appleton  Morse, 
previous  pastor;  Charge  by  Dr.  Loveli,  father  to  the 
pastor  elect;  Right  hand  of  fellowship  by  Rev.  Mr.  Bis- 
ing  ;  Address  to  the  church  and  society  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Willard  ;  Concluding  prayer  by  Rev.  J.  P,  Cowles,  pas- 
tor of  the  Congregational  church  in  Princeton.  Mr. 
Loveli  continued  the  minister  of  the  church  until  No- 
vember, 1836,  when,  at  his  own  request,  he  was  dis- 
missed. Rev.  Nehemiah  G.  Loveli  was  born  Aug.  20, 
1806,  at  Rowley,  in  this  State.  He  was  the  son  of  a 
Baptist  clergyman.  He  graduated  at  the  3rown  Uni- 
versity in  1833.  On  his  dismission  from  Princeton,  he 
became  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Amherst,  N.  H. 

immediately  after  the  dismission  of  Mr.  Loveli,  Rev. 
Mason  Ball  commenced  preaching  to  the  church  and 
society  in  Princeton,  and,  on  the  11th  of  March,  1837, 
IB* 


182  BAPTIST    CHURCH. 

received  and  accepted  an  unanimous  call  to  settle  with 
them  in  the  Gospel  ministry.  He  continued  pastor  un- 
til 1841,  when  he  was  dismissed.  In  June,  of  the  same 
year,  Rev.  Mr.  Coburn  of  Boston  was  invited  to  become 
their  pastor  :  he  however  negatived  the  invitation.  The 
present  Baptist  church  was  erected  about  this  time. 

In  October  of  1841,  Rev.  Orlando  Cunningham  of 
Reading,  Mass.,  received  an  invitation  to  become  pastor 
of  the  church.  Having  accepted  the  invitation,  he  was 
ordained  Nov.  23.  The  exercises  on  the  occasion 
were — Introductory  prayer  by  Rev.  David  Goddard  of 
Leominster;  Reading  of  the  Scriptures  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Harding,  Congregationalist  preacher  of  Princeton  ;  Ser- 
mon by  Rev.  J.  W.  Parker  of  Cambridge;  Ordaining 
prayer  by  Rev.  Orin  Tracy  of  Fitchburg ;  Charge  to 
the  candidate  by  Rev.  John  Allen  of  Sterling;  Right 
hand  of  fellowship  by  Rev.  Andrew  Pollard  of  Holden  ; 
Address  to  the  church  and  congregation  by  Rev.  S.  B. 
Swain  of  Worcester ;  Concluding  prayer  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Goddard.  Under  the  labors  of  Mr.  Cunningham,  several 
were  hopefully  converted  and  connected  themselves  with 
the  church.  He  continued  his  labors  with  them  until 
January,  1844,  when,  at  his  own  request,  his  pastoral 
relation  was  dissolved.  During  this  year  several  of  the 
members  withdrew  from  the  church,  having  imbibed 
the  views  of  the  Anti-Sabbatarians. 

Since  the  dismission  of  Mr.  Cunningham,  the  Baptist 
church  and  society  in  Princeton    have   been    dependent 
upon  temporary  engagements  for  a  supply  of  their  pul- 
pit.    They  have  had  no  preaching  however  since  No- 
vember, 1851. 


MISCELLANEOUS    MATTERS.  183 


MISCELLANEOUS  MATTERS. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

First  Public  School  in  Town — Division  of  the  Town  into  School  Districts — 
Appropriations  for  Schooling — Select  Schools — Munificence  of  John 
Brooks,  Esq. Native  Ministers. 

Although  the  early  settlers  of  this  town  were  not  fa- 
vored with  many  educational  priviliges,yet  they  evinced 
an  interest  in  the  subject,  and,  considering  their  means, 
accomplished  much.  As  soon  as  they  were  legally  in- 
corporated into  a  District,  the  worship  of  God  was 

"First  in  their  noble  thoughts  and  plans  ; 
Then,  the  strong  training  of  their  youth" 

And  even  previous  to  this,  those  parents  who  were  in- 
terested in  education,  taught  their  own  children  for  seve- 
ral years.  Private  schools  were  also  kept,  supported  by 
private  contributions,  in  a  small  room  of  some  one  of 
their  lop-  houses. 

"The  first  public  school  was  kept  by  Mr.  SamuesJ 
Woods,  in  a  house  on  the  farm  at  present  owned  by 
Capt.  Nahum  Wilder."  The  precise  year  when  this 
shcool  was  commenced  we  have  been  unable  to  ascer- 
tain. It  is  supposed  that  it  was  about  the  year  1759,  the 
date  of  the  District's  incorporation.  The  first  action  of 
the  District  upon  the  subject,  in  a  corporate  capacity, 
as  appears  by  the  records,  was  on  the  2d  of  January, 
1764,  when  six  pounds,  (about  $27)  was  voted  for  the 
use  of  Schools  that  year.  The  year  immediately  suc- 
ceeding, this  sum  was  augmented  ,£100  old  tenor,  equiv- 
alent to  <£13,  6s,  8d.  It  would  appear  from  the  Town 
Records  to  have  become  an  almsst    established    method 


184  MISCELLANEOUS    MATTERS. 

of  proceedure,  to  do  as  last  year  respecting  schools; 
with  a  few  exceptions,  however,  the  amount  of  money 
raised  was  gradually  augmented  with  the  increase  of 
population. 

Previous  to  1769,  the  town  not  having  been  divided 
iatjD  districts,  the  selectmen  were  expected  to  address  a 
warrant  to  the  people  of  a  neighborhood,  instructing 
them  to  procure  a  school  teacher,  and  allowing  the  dif- 
ferent neighborhoods  the  amount  paid  by  them.  The 
following  is  a  copy  of  a  warrant  addressed  to  Mr.  Robert 
Covvden  and  sixteen  others,  bearing  date  Jan.  4,  1768 : 

*'  You  are  hereby  ordered  to  procure  a  Schoolmaster 
to  y9  approbation  of  ye  selectmen,  and  Improve  in  y9  use 
of  Schooling  what  you  are  assessed  in  ye  School  Rates, 
and  when  you  have  done  so  you  may  have  orders  to  draw 
ye  same  out  of  ye  District  Treasury. 

"  Sum  total  of  your  School  Rates  £3,  5,2,  1." 

In  October,  1769,  it  was  voted  to  make  an  alteration 
respecting  the  Schools,  and  a  committee  consisting  of 
Dea.  Keyes,  Caleb  Mirick,  Sadey  Mason,  Stephen  Brig- 
ham,  Robert  Keyes,  Joseph  Phelps,  and  Samuel  Woods 
was  chosen  for  that  purpose,  to  report  at  a  subsequent 
meeting.  At  a  meeting  on  the  6th  of  December,  the 
same  year,  said  committee  reported  that  it  was  expedient 
to  divide  the  town  into  six  districts  or  squadrons,  as 
they  were  at  that  time  usually  termed.  This  report  was 
adopted  by  the  town  and  the  division  accordingly  made. 
There  were  at  that  time  one  hundred  and  nineteen  fami- 
lies in  town. 

The  "Middle  Division,"  or  District,  embraced  thirty- 
-six  families,  as  follows : — Moses  Gill,  Joseph  Wooley, 
Jabez  Stratton,  Dr.  Ephraim  WooJson,   William  Gibbs, 


MISCELLANEOUS    MATTERS.  185 

Isaac  Stratton,  William  Foster,  John  Barber,  Joseph 
Haynes,  Samuel  Wood,  Job  Brooks,  John  Gleason, 
Amos  Powers,  Enoch  Brooks,  Rev.  Timothy  Fuller, 
Elisha  Gale,  Josiah  Wetherbee,  Josiah  Mirick,  Paul 
Matthews,  Joseph  Eveleth,  Caleb  Mirick,  Joel  Rice, 
George  Parkhurst,  John  Mirick,  Samuel  Hastings,  J. 
Bullard,  Joseph  Norcross,  Abner  Howe,  Adonijah 
Howe,  Joseph  Sargent,  Ebenezer  Jones,  John  Jones, 
James  Mirick,  Peter  Goodnow,  Thadeus  Bowman  and 
Isaac  Jones. 

The  "Southerly  Division"  contained  twenty  families : 
Ephraim  Hartwell,  Joseph  Gibbs,  Thomas  Mason,  Jacob 
Moore,  Aaron  Brooks,  Nathan  Farrow,  Samuel  Bailey, 
Robert  Forbes,  Sadey  Mason,  Col.    Benjamin   Holden, 

William  Muzzey,  Jonathan  Smith, Eager,  Charles 

Brooks,    Asa    Harris,   Eliphalet    Howe,   Conant, 

George  Smith,  William  Raymond,  and  Richard  Cheever. 

"  Easterly  Division,"  ten   families: — Silas  Houghton, 

Allen,  J.  Stanley,  Joseph  Abbot,  Charles  Wyrnan, 

Col.  Elisha  Jones,  Warren  Sawin,  Isaac  Abbot,  Joseph 
Phelps,  and  Oliver  Dresser. 

"Westerly  Division,"  eighteen  families: — C.  Hart- 
well,  Nathan  Smith,  David  Parker,  William  Thompson, 
Robert  Cowden,  Oliver  Davis,  Lt.  Boaz  Moore,  Timo- 
thy Keyes,  Joseph  Eveleth,  Humphrey  Moore,  Silas 
Plympton, Morse,  Robert  Rossier,  William  Skin- 
ner, Micah  Newton,  Seth  Savage,  John  Jones,  and 
Abraham  Savage, 

"  North-westerly  Division,"  fourteen  families  : — Isaac 
Thompson,  Philip  Rogers,  John  Bartlett,  Stephen  Brig, 
ham, Davis,  Stephen  Ralph,  David  Everett,  Ebe- 
nezer   Colburn,  Daniel  Sumner Howard,  Aaron 

Perry,  Isaac  Norcross.,  Noah  Norcross.,  and  Artemas 
Howe. 


186  MISCELLANEOUS    MATTERS. 

"North-easterly  Division,''  twenty-one  families: — 
Jonathan  Powers,  Timothy  Billings,  Robert  Keyes, 
Tilly    Littlejohns,    Samuel    Moseman,  Elisha   Wilder, 

Ephraim  Osgood,  Joel    Houghton,  Brown,    John 

Frost,  Benjamin  Wilson,  William  Edgell,  James  Robin- 
son, Timothy  Moseman,  William  Moseman,  Phineas 
Beaman,  James  Harrington,  Stephen  Harrington,  Abijah 
Harrington,  Elisha  Hobbs,  and Gregory. 

In  January,  1771,  it  was  "  voted  that  each  Squadron 
have  liberty  to  build  their  own  school  houses;"  it  ap- 
pears, however,  that  neither  of  them  availed  themselves 
of  this  privilege.  In  March,  of  the  same  year,  it  was 
Ci  voted  a  school  house  be  built  in  each  Squadron  of  y* 
town  at  ye  town  cost,  and  that  a  school  house  be  built  in 
y  Middle  Squadron,  twenty  feet  square,  and  that  one 
hundred  dollars  be  allowed  for  ye  building  ye  same,  said 
money  to  be  raised  in  ys  Middle  Squadron,  and  y9  other 
Squadrons  to  be  assessed  by  ye  same  proportion  for  y9 
building  ye  other  school  houses,  and  if  any  money  is  left, 
it  shall  be  converted  to  ye  use  of  schooling  in  ye  Squad- 
ron." A  committee,  of  two  to  each  Squadron,  was  chosen 
at  the  same  time,  to  superintend  the  building  of  said 
houses.  In  the  year  following,  this  vote  was  so  far  re- 
considered, that  it  was  "  voted  each  Squadron  be  rated 
separately,"  and  application  was  also  made  to  the 
u  Quarter  Sessions"  for  the  confirmation  of  this  vote. 
The  six  school-houses  were  accordingly  built,  during 
that  and  the  following  year.  The  one  in  the  Middle 
Squadron  at  the  expense  of  £26,  13s,  4d.  "These 
houses  stood,  with  the  exception  of  that  of  the  centre 
district,  until  1797,  when  new  ones  were  erected,  which 
remained  until  1836,  when  the  town  again  commenced 
re-building  them."     The  centre  school  house,  which  had 


MISCELLANEOUS    MATTERS.  187 

been  used  to  transact  the  municipal  business  of  the  town 
in,  was  consumed  by  fire,  whereupon  the  present  old 
Town  House  was  built,  and  used  for  the  centre  school, 
until  1811,  when  the  district  was  divided.  In  1792,  a 
new  division  of  the  town  into  school  districts  was  made, 
and  in  1838  it  was  new  districted  as  at  present.  At 
this  time,  also,  most  of  the  school  houses  were  built  with 
brick. 

The  town,  since  the  year  1800,  has  appropriated  for 
schooling,  834,6S7,87  1-2,  exclusive  of  private  appropri- 
ations. The  appropriation  for  the  present  year,  1852, 
is  81000,  which  is  divided  equally  among  the  ten  dis- 
tricts. In  addition  to  this,  about  $65  will  be  received 
from  the  school  fund  of  the  State  ;  making  in  all,  81065, 
to  be  expended  for  the  purposes  of  Common  Schools. 
Of  this,  two-thirds  is  to  be  expended  for  the  winter 
schools,  and  the  remaining  one  third  for  summer 
schools. 

Statistical    Account   of   the   Common    Schools,  for 
1851-2  . — Number  of  Districts,  10  ;  Number  of  differ- 
ent scholars  in  Summer  Schools,  279, — in  Winter,  337; 
Average  attendance  in  Summer  Schools,  260, — in  Win- 
ter, 275. 

The  influence  exerted  by  Common  School  instruc- 
tion, has  been,  in  the  highest  degree,  happy  and  salutary 
upon  all  the  citizens  of  the  town.  It  may  be  confident- 
ly asserted  that  each  individual  has,  to  a  certain  extent, 
personally  shared  in  their  enlightening  and  ennobling 
blessings.  The  interests  of  education  in  Princeton 
have  not  been  unaffected  by  the  progress  of  learning 
throughout  the  community.  The  demand  for  more 
school  instruction,  has  been  met,  by  individuals  of  this 
place,  through  the  maintenance,  at  different  periods,  of 


188  MISCELLANEOUS    MATTERS. 

a  Select  or  High  School.  In  1828,  John  Brooks,  Esq., 
not  only  fitted  up  a  building  for  the  accommodation  of 
an  English  and  Classical  school,  and  purchased  a  valua- 
ble philosophical  apparatus  for  the  use  of  the  same,  at 
his  own  expense,  but  he  also  obligated  himself  to  pay  the 
instructor  a  salary  of  $300  annually,  for  three  succes- 
sive years, — exclusive  of  the  tuition  of  scholars.  This 
school  was  quite  prosperous  for  several  years,  especially 
"  while  under  the  management  of  Mr.  Goddard,  who  pos- 
sessed, in  an  eminent  degree,  all  the  requisites  of  a  suc- 
cessful teacher."  Mr.  Goddard  continued  teacher  until 
1831.  Subsequently,  it  was  continued  under  the  tuition 
of  different  individuals  until  1835,  supported  by  the 
liberal  contributions  of  Mr.  Brooks,  and  a  few  other  in- 
dividuals. 

Princeton  has  raised  up  and  educated  many  eminent 
and  good  men.  Subjoined,  are  the  names  of  Clergymen, 
of  the  Congregational  and  Baptist  denominations,  na- 
tives of  this  town,  and  who  received  their  early  educa- 
tion in  this  place  : — Rev.  Messrs.  Stephen  Baxter, 

Ralph,  William  Mason,  Thomas  Mason,  Humphrey 
Moore,  William  Allen,  John  Keyes,  Ezra  Newton,  Con- 
gregationalists ;  Rev.  Messrs.  Abel  Woods,  Joshua  Ev- 
eleth,  Ephraim  Eveleth,  Baptists;  Rev.  Leonard 
Woods,  D.  D.,  Professor  in  the  Andover  Theological 
Seminary ;  Oliver  Allen,  at  present  a  Missionary  at 
Bombay  ;  Charles  Brooks,  son  of  John  H.  Brooks,  Con* 
gregationalist. 


MISCELLANEOUS    MATTERS.  189 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Biographical  Notices — Physicians — Postmasters — Public  Buildings — Accom- 
modations at  the  Wachusett  Hotel — Streams  and  Ponds — Wachusett 
Mountain — Hills — Products. 

Notices  of  the  clergymen  of  the  town  strictly  belong 
to  the  division  of  biography.  The  relation  of  these  to 
their  parishes,  however,  is  so  intimate,  it  has  been  found 
most  convenient  to  furnish  a  brief  memoir  of  each  min- 
ister in  the  history  of  his  parish. 

Hon.  Moses  Gill,  though  not  a  native  of  Princeton, 
his  history  is,  nevertheless,  more  or  less  interwoven  with 
it.  He  was  born  at  Charlestown  in  this  State  in  1733. 
His  early  days  were  spent  in  mercantile  pursuits.  He 
was  married  to  Miss  Sarah,  the  only  surviving  daughter 
of  Rev.  Dr.  Prince,  then  pastor  of  the  Old  South  Church, 
Boston,  in  1759,  from  whom  he  intherited  a  large 
amount  of  land  in  Princeton.  Having  retired  from 
business,  in  1767,  Mr.  Gill  commenced  residing  in  this 
town  a  portion  of  each  year.  He  represented  the  town 
inGeneral  Court, at  Salem,  and  in  the  year  of  Provincial 
Congress,  at  Concord,  in  1774.  For  a  few  years  subse- 
quent to  that  period  he  was  a  member  of  the  State  Le- 
gislature. He  was  chosen  Senator  in  1780,  which  of- 
fice he  held  until  he  was  transferred  to  a  seat  in  the  Ex- 
ecutive Council  in  1789.  He  was  elected  Lieut.  Gover- 
nor in  1794,  under  Mr.  Adams— ^an  office  which  he  held 
until  May  20,  1800,  when  he  departed  this  life,*  acting 
as  Governor  after  the  demise  of  Gov.  Sumner,  June  7, 
1799,  until  the  inauguration  of  Gov.  Strong,  May, 
1800. 

*  Having  buried  his  first  wif6  in  1767,  Mr.  Gill  married,  in  1772,  Mis9  Rebec- 
ca, a  neice  of  the  late  Thomas  Boylston,  Esq. 

17 


190  MISCELLANEOUS    MATTERS. 

William  Dodds,  Esq.  was  a  native  of  Lexington, 
Mass.  At  an  early  age  he  removed  to  Holden,  where 
he  was  joined  in  marriage  to  Miss  Anna  Child,  and,  after 
residing  there  until  1771,  he  came  to  this  town,  to  live 
on  the  farm  at  present  owned  by  Mr.  John  Dodds.  For 
nearly  thirty  years  he  filled  the  office  of  Town  Clerk,  to 
the  general  acceptance  of  the  town.  He  also  repre- 
sented the  town  in  the  State  Legislature  a  few  years. 
Several  years  he  was  engaged  in  teaching  District 
Schools  in  Princeton.  In  1809,  he  received  a  Justice's 
commission.  His  death  occurred  in  18331,  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty-five. 

"  Ward  Nicholas  Boylston,  Esq.,  alias  Ward  HaJ- 
lowell,    was  born    in  Boston,  Nov.   22d,    1749.       His 
father,  Benjamin  Hallowell,  Esq.,  was  a  native  of  Boston, 
and,  at  the  time  of  the  revolution,  an  officer  in  the  Cus- 
tom House.     His  mother,  Mrs.  Mary  Hallowell,  was  the 
daughter  of  Thomas  Boylston,  and    sister  to   the  second 
wife  of  the  Hon.  Moses  Gill.     He  received  his  education 
in  the  free  schools  of  Boston.     In  March,  1770,  at  the 
solicitation  of  his  maternal  uncle,    Nicholas    Boylston, 
Esq.,  the  distinguished  benefactor  of  Harvard  Universi- 
ty, he  dropped  the  name  of  Hallowell,  through  a  royal  li- 
cense, and  added  to  his  Christian  name  that  of  the  above- 
mentioned  uncle.     In  1773,  for  the  purpose  of  renova- 
ting his  health,    Mr.    Boylston  commenced    a    journey 
through  Europe  and  Asia.     He  embarked   on  board  the 
*  King  of  Naples/  bound  from  Boston  to  Newfoundland, 
October  12th.     From  the  latter  place  he  sailed  to  Italy, 
and  from  thence  proceeded  to  Turkey,  Syria,  the  Archi- 
pelago, Palestine,  Egypt,  and  the    Barbary  Coast.     l\e 
also  passed  through  Geneva,  Savoy,    France,  and  Flan- 
ders.    During  this  tour  he  kept  a  journal,  which,  replete 


MISCELLANEOUS    MATTERS.  191 

with  interest,  and  in  many  parts  illustrative  of  Biblical 
history,  is  still  preserved  in  manuscript,  and  which,  it  is 
to  be  hoped,  may  yet  be  given  to  the  public.  He  arri- 
rived  in  London,  1775,  and  for  the  twenty-five  subse- 
quent years  remained  there  engaged  in  the  various  ope- 
rations of  trade.  In  1800  he  sailed  for  Boston,  where 
he  arrived  on  the  15th  of  May  of  the  same  year.  From 
this  time  until  his  death,  in  1727,  he  continued  to  reside 
during  the  larger  portion  of  the  year  at  Princeton,  spend- 
ing the  winter  months  at  his  seat  at  Jamacia  Plains, 
Roxbury,  Mass.  Soon  after  Mr.  Boylston's  arrival  in 
Boston,  he  confirmed  to  Harvard  University  a  bequest 
of  Nicholas  Boylston,  Esq.,  amounting  to  $23,200,  as  a 
foundation  of  the  professorship  of  Rhetoric  and  Oratory* 
with  the  condition  that  John  Quincy  Adams  should  be 
appointed  professor.  In  1802,  he  secured  to  the  same 
Institution  an  annuity  of  $100,  to  "be  distributed  in  prizes 
for  the  discussion  of  medical  questions.  In  1803,  he 
paid  to  the  treasurer  of  the  Institution  $500,  as  a  fund, 
the  income  of  which  should  be  expended  in  additions  to 
the  library.  To  this  succeeded  the  annuity  of  $60,  to  be 
distributed  in  elocution  prizes  to  under-graduates.  Large 
bequests  were  made  to  the  same  institution  in  his  will."* 
Mr  Boylston's  bequests  to  Princeton,  we  have  noticed  in 
another  place. 

Moses  G.  Cheever,  Esq.  was  a  native  of  Princeton, 
and  his  name  ought  to  find  a  prominent  place  in  this 
connection.  Mr.  Cheever  was  an  active  and  useful  man 
in  the  town.  Few  men  have  enjoyed  more  largely  the 
esteem  of  their  fellow  citizens.  His  sphere  was  in  the 
humble  walks  of  life,  yet  by  his  enterprise  and  economy 
he  amassed  a  large  property.     At  his  death  he   made  a 

*  Russell's  History  of  Princeton,  p.  127- 


192  MISCELLANEOUS   MATTERS. 

donation  of  a  piece  of  land  to  the  town  for  a  Cemetery, 
and  also  $300  to  prepare  the  ground.  He  died  in  June, 
1851,  at  the  age  of  59. 

Capt.  Benjamin  Harrington,  was  a  native  of  Prince- 
ton. He  cherished  a  sincere  desire  for  the  general 
prosperity  of  the  inhabitants  of  his  native  town,  and  also 
did  much  to  promote  the  same.  Mr.  Harrington  was  a 
benevolent  man.  The  high  standing  he  took  in  the  moral  ' 
enterprises  of  the  day,  obtained  for  him  many  warm  and 
lasting  friends.  He  departed  this  life  in  December, 
1851,  aged  almost  78  years. 

Physicians. — The  following  are  the  names  of  the  indi- 
viduals who  have  practised  in  Princeton  as  Physicians  : 
Drs.  Zachariah   Harvey,  Ephraim  Woolson,    Ephraim 

Wilson, Walker,  Henry  Eldridge,  Luther   Allen, 

Henry  Bagg,  Martin  Howe, Titus, Brainerd, 

Chandler  Smith,  Orville  Brooks.  The  present  practi- 
tioners are  Drs.  Warren  Patridge  and  Alphonso  Brooks. 

Names  of  Postmasters. — Princeton,  Charles  Rus- 
sell, Esq.  Moses  G.  Cheever,  Esq.,  George  F.  Folger  ; 
East  Princeton  :  H.  V.  Pratt. 

Public  Buildings. —  The  Town  House,  erected  in 
1842,  is  one  story  high,  64  feet  long  and  40  feet  wide. 

Congregationalist  or  "  Union"  Meeting  House,  built 
in  1838.  Baptist  Church,  erected  in  1839.  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  erected  in  1839. 

Wachusett  Hotel,  an  elegant  building,  furnished  in  a 
style  not  surpassed,  probably,  in  New-England.  The  best 
accommodations  are  furnished,  by  the  landlord,  Mr.  John 
Brooks,  Jr.  Every  convenience  and  luxury  to  be  obtained 
in  the  metropolis, especially  during  the  summer  months,  is 
furnished  for  the  weary  traveler,  and  for  those  who  wish 


MISCELLANEOUS    MATTERS.  193 

to  spend  their  time  during  the  warm  season  in   Prince- 
ton, where  the  scenery  is  then  most  delightful. 

This  town  is  situated  fifteen  miles  from  the  Court 
House  in  Worcester,  nearly  north,  and  is  highly  celebra- 
ted, not  only  for  the  industry  and  enterprise  of  its  inhab- 
itants and  the  fertility  of  itssoil,  but  also  for  the  extreme 
purity  and  excellency  of  its  atmosphere. 

Streams. — The  town  is  exceedingly  well  watered  by 
springs  and  rivulets.  There  are  however  no  large 
streams,  although  several  large  and  fine  rivers  have  their 
sources  here.  The  waters  of  the  small  streams  flow 
partly  east,  into  the  Massachusetts  Bay,  and  partly  west, 
into  the  Connecticut  River.  One  has  its  source  at  the 
foot  of  the  Wachusett  mountain,  and  flows  east,  consti- 
tuting one  branch  of  the  Nashua  River.  A  second  runs 
nearly  south,  and  empties  into  Quinepoxet  pond.  A 
third  has  its  source  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  on  the 
westerly  side,  and  flows  southwest,  constituting  the  east 
branch  of  Ware  river,  which  flows  into  the  Connecticut. 
Upon  this  last  stream,  Mr,  Seth  Savage  erected  a  cotton 
factory  at  the  west  part  of  the  town,  called  "  Slab  city"  ; 
which  however  at  the  present  time  is  not  in  operation, 
and  has  not  been  for  some  years.  "  Another  cotton 
factory,  of  about  an  equal  size,  formerly  existed  on  East 
Wachusett  brook,  in  the  east  part  of  the  town.  This 
was  burnt  in  the  winter  of  1836."  At  the  present  time 
no  farther  use  is  made  of  the  waters  of  the  different 
streams  in  this  town  than  to  turn  common  grist  mills, 
saw  mills,  and  mills  for  turning  out  chair  stuff. 

Ponds. — duinepoxet,  is  a  small  sheet  of  water  covering 
about  sixty  acres. in  the  south  part  of  Princeton,  extending 
into  Holden,  and  is  the  only  natural  Pond  in  town.     The 
outlet  is  the  river  Quinepoxet.    Small  portions  of  Wa- 
ll* 


194  MISCELLANEOUS   MATTERS. 

chusett  Pond,  in  the  northern,  and  of  Rutland,  of 
"Wanchatopick"  Pond,  on  the  south-western  border,  lie 
within  Princeton. 

Wachusett  Mountain. — This  mountain  is  situated 
about  two  miles  Northwest  from  the  centre  of  the  town. 
The  circumference  of  the  mountain — is  about  three 
miles,  and  its  height  is  3912  feet  above  the  level  of 
Massachusetts  Bay,  as  found  by  actual  survey,  in  1777, 
by  Hon.  John  Winthrop.  The  general  elevation  of 
the  circumjacent  country  is  about  1100  feet.  Conse- 
quently the  mountain  "  rears  its  conical  head"  1900 
feet  above  this.  It  is  some  of  the  first  land  discovered 
by  the  mariner  when  making  for  any  of  the  sea-ports  in 
Massachusetts.  The  highest  part  is  a  flat  rock,  or  ledge 
of  rocks,  for  some. rods  in  circumference.  Upon  this 
ledge  a  small  octagonal  tower,  some  thirty  feet  in  height, 
was  erected  in  1828.  This,  however,  has  become  so 
shattered  that  it  is  at  the  present  time  of  but  little  use. 
There  is  generally  a  small  pond  of  water  upon  the  sum- 
mit, some  two  or  three  rods  square,  and,  where  there  is 
any  soil,  it  is  covered  with  blue-berry  bushes,  which,  in 
their  season,  yield  delicious  fruit.  The  prospect  from 
this  mountain  is  extensive  and  grand  in  the  extreme. 
"To  the  observer  from  its  top,  the  whole  State  lie3 
spread  out  like  a  map."  "  The  neighboring  hills,  wind- 
ing into  comparative  insignificance,  present  an  even 
outline  to  the  beholder."  On  the  one  hand,  is  seen  the 
waters  of  Boston  harbor  some  fifty  miles  distant.  On 
the  North,  the  renowned  Monadnock  of  New  Hamp- 
shire is  visible,  rearing  its  old  bald,  as  well  as  broken 
summit,  to  the  clouds.  In  other  directions,  "the 
distant  Hoosick  and  Green  mountains  fade  away  in  the 
distance,  and  mingle  with   the  blue  horizon."     "  The 


MISCELLANEOUS    MATTERS.  195 

numerous  and  beautiful  villages  scattered  intermediately 
in  all  directions,  give   a  charm  to  the  scene,  hardly  sur- 
passed by  that  of  the  far-famed  Holyoke."     The  base  of 
this  mountain  is  covered  with  a  heavy  growth  of  wood, 
which  dwindles    into  small  trees,  and,  finally,  to  shrub- 
bery with  flat  tops,    similar  to  that  on   the  sea  shore,  as 
you  approach  the  summit     This  is   occasioned  doubt- 
less, in    part,  by    the  state  of  the  atmosphere ;   for  it  13 
several  degrees  colder,  on  the  top  than  at  the  bottom  in- 
variably.    It  may  be  ascended,  with   some  difficulty  on 
the  south  side  with  horses;  but  on  the    east,  north,  and 
northwest,  it  is  exceedingly  steep,  broken  and  ledgy,  and 
difficult  of  ascent  even  by  persons  on  foot.     In  1825,  on 
the  inauguration  of  John  Q,uincy   Adams   to  the  Presi- 
dency, an  unsuccessful  attempt  was  made,  at  the  sugges- 
tion of  Ward  N.    Boylston,   Esq.,   to  substitute  for  the 
present  name  that  of  Mount  Adams.     Wachusett  moun- 
tain was  frequently,  visited  by  the  Indians,  in  the   early 
settlement  of  Massachusetts.     Many  of  them  spent  their 
winters  near  it,  during  King  Phillip's  War.     It  was  here 
that  Mrs.  Rowlandson,  wife  of  the  first  minister  in  Lan- 
caster, the  narrative  of  whose  captivity  and  great  suffer- 
ings is    familiar  to  those  who  have  perused  the  early  his- 
tory of  the  Indians  in  this  State,  was  released.     The  spot 
where  this  scene   occurred  is  on  the  east  side  of  the 
mountain,   and  is    still    pointed  out    by    some    of    the 
aged  inhabitants.     This  mountain    is  visited  during  the 
summer  months  by  thousands  of  individuals  every  year. 
Little  Wachusett,  which  deserves  attention,  issituated 
about   a  mile  North   from  the  centre  of  Princeton,  and 
to   the  Southwest   of  the  mountain    proper.     This  hili 
contains  nearly  250  acres,    mostly    pasturing,  though  it 
is  partially    covered  with  wood,  and  that  chiefly  walnut. 


1*96  MISCELLANEOUS    MATTERS. 

Pine  Hill,  some  two  miles  from  the  centre,  to  the  east 
of  Wachusett,  is  about  half  as  high  as  the  mountain,  and 
is  nearly  2000  feet  above  the  sea. 

Products. — The  inhabitants  of  Princeton  are  princi- 
pally employed  in  agricultural  pursuits.  Shoe  business 
is  engaged  in  by  a  portion  of  the  people  to  some  extent. 
The  female  part  of  the  inhabitants  manufacture  consid- 
erable quantities  of  Palm  Leaf  Hats.  Mrs.  Phebe  Bea- 
man,  who  is  still  living,  and  who  braided  the  first  Palm 
Leaf  Hat  ever  manufactured  in  town,  learned  the  art  by 
taking  a  hat  to  pieces.  The  Chair  manufacture  has  been 
introduced  within  a  few  years  to  some  extent,  especially 
at  East  Princeton,  and  now  gives  employment  to  several 
workmen.  As  the  soil  is  best  adapted  to  grazing,  it 
being  naturally  of  a  moist  and  springy  quality,  the 
chief  products  of  the  town  are  beef,  butter  and  cheese. 
Grain  sufficient  for  home  consumption,  is  about  all  that 
is  raised.  Great  quantities  of  wood  are  carried  to  Wor- 
cester, either  in  its   original  form  or  in  that  of  charcoal 


APPENDIX. 


[  See  Page  23.  1 

LIST  OF   OFFICERS 

CHOSEN  AT  THE  TOWN  MEETING  MARCH  16,  1761. 

Dr.  Zachariah  Harvey,  moderator  ;  Dr.  Zachariah  Harvey, 
district  clerk ;  Dr.  Zachariah  Harvey,  Joseph  Gibbs,  Lieut. 
Abijah  Moore,  Timothy  Moseman,  selectmen  ;  Dr.  Zachariah 
Harvey,  Abijah  Moore,  Peter  Goodnow,  assessors ;  Peter 
Goodnow,  treasurer;  Caleb  Mirick,  Sadey  Mason,  cons- 
tables ;  Samuel  Nichols,  Joseph  Rugg,  tythingmen ;  Paul 
Mathews,  Stephen  Brigham,  Silas  Whitney,  Tilly  Littlejohns, 
Timothy  Keyes,  highway  surveyors  ;  Robert  Keyes,  clerk  of 
the  market;  Samuel  Hastings,  Amos  Spring*,  fence  viewers ; 
James  Mirick,  Oliver  Davis,  field  drivers ;  Robert  Cowden, 
Edward  Wilson,  deer  reeves  ;  Amos  Powers,  Samuel  Hastings, 
hog  reeves  ;  Abel  Ray,  surveyor  of  boards  and  shingles  ;  Ste- 
phen Brigham,  sealer  of  leather;  Peter  Goodnow,  Timothy 
Moseman,  wardens  ;  Dr.  Zachariah  Harvey,  agent  to  the  gen- 
eral court. 

At  the  bottom  of  this  list  of  officers,  the  following  is  found  : — 

"  This  may  certify  that  all  the  above  officers,  except  Timo- 
thy Keyes,  were  duly  sworn  as  the  Law  directs,  Respecting  the 
taking  of  the  paper  currency  of  the  other  Governments,  and  the 
Respective  Oaths  belong  to  each  of  their  offices. 

Test,  Zachariah  Harvey,  Moderator" 

[  See  Page  24.  ] 

LOCATION  OF  ROADS. 

The  manner  of  the  early   settlers,  locating  their  roads  may 

be  learned  from  the  following,  which   is  transcribed  from  the 

warrant  for  March  meeting,  1774  : — 

"  To  see  if  the  town  will  accept  of  a  road  laid  out  by  the  Se- 
lectmen, beginning  at  a  Butternut  tree  marked,  in  Mr.  Mose- 
man's  land,  thence  running  to  a  Poplar  tree  marked,  in  Joel 
Sawin's  land,  thence  to  a  Chestnut  marked,  thence  to  a  Black 
Oak  marked,  thence  to  a  Black  Oak,  thence  to  a  Black  Oak 
marked,  in  Judge  Ruggles'  land,  thence  to  a  Chestnut,  thence 
.o  a  Black  Birch,  thence  to  a  Chestnut,  thence  to  a  Chestnut, 


198  APPENDIX. 


thence  to  a  Black  Birch,  thence  to  a  Chestnut,  thence  to  a 
chestnut,  thence  to  a  White  Pine,  thence  to  a  White  Oak, 
thence  to  a  Black  Oak,  thence  to  a  Chestnut,  thence  to  a  White 
Pine,  thence  to  a  Chestnut,  thence  a  corner  of  Mr.  Billings' 
said  road  is  two  rods  wide  and  upon  the  northerly  side  of  said 
marked  trees." 


[  See  Page  27.  ] 

PETITION  OF  REV.  TIMOTHY  FULLER, 

AND  THE  RESOLVE  OF  GENERAL  COURT  THEREUPON.* 

"  Province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay. 

**  To  his  excellency  Francis  Bernard,  Esq.  Governor  and 
Commander-in-chief  in  and  over  said  Province.  The  Honora- 
ble His  Majesties  Council  and  House  of  Representatives,  in 
General  Court  assembled,  at  Boston,  the  30th  Day  of  Decem- 
ber, Anno  Domini;  1767. 

The  Petition  of  Timothy  Fuller  oF  Princeton,  in  the  County 
of  Worcester,  Clerk,  humbly  shews, — That,  in  the  month  of 
September  last,  he  was  ordained  as  a  Minister  in  said  Place. 
That  the  said  Place  is  now  in  its  Infancy  and  not  very  able  to 
support  the  Gospel,  but  the  Harmony  and  Unanimity  that  ap- 
peared among  them  to  settle  your  Petitioner  was  a  great  Induce- 
ment to  accept  of  their  invitation  at  the  small  living  of  fifty- 
three  Pounds  six  Shillings  and  eight  Pence  per  Annum,  which 
your  Petitioner  apprehends  is  as  much  as  they  are  able  to  pay 
in  their  Present  Circumstances.  That  the  said  Place  labors 
under  many  difficulties  by  reason  of  the  great  Expense  they 
have  been  and  are  necessarily  obliged  to  be  at,  in  finishing  their 
Meeting-Housc,  making  and  maintaining  new  Roads  in  a  Wil- 
derness Country. — And  greater  than  any  new  Town  lately 
granted  as  they  have  no  public  ministerial  Lands  for  the  use  of 
the  first  settled  minister — That  the  Hill  called  Watchusett  Hill 
lies  within  the  Limits  of  said  Town,  which  belongs  to  the 
Province ;  The  whole  Contents  whereof  are  about  five  Hun- 
dred Acres,  lour  Hundred  Acres  of  which  are  mountain,  barren 
and  unfruitful,  and  never  can  be  fitt  for  any  Improvement  as  many 
of  this  honorable  Court  are  well  knowing.  That  about  one 
Hundred  Acres  of  it  upon  the  South  Side  nigh  the  Foot  of  the 
Hill,  altho'  very  rocky  and  uneven,  may  possibly  be  improved  as 
Pasture  Land.  Your  Petitioner  therefore  humbly  prays  that,  aa 
an  encouragement  to  him  (seeing  there  are  no  publick  Lands 

*  Transcribed  from  the  Appendix  cf  Russell's  History  of  Princeton. 


APPENDIX. 


199 


reserved  for  the  first  Minister  in  said  Place)  you  would  out  of 
your  wonted  Goodness,  grant  unto  him  the  said  Province  Land. 
"  And  as  in  duty  bound  shall  ever  pray. 

Timothy  Fuller. 

"  We,  the  Selectmen  of  Princeton,  unite  our  humble  and 
earnest  Desire  that  the  Prayer  of  your  Petitioner  above  may  be 
granted  for  the  Reasons  assigned  in  the  above  Petition. 
"  And  as  in  duty  bound  shall  ever  pray. 

Peter  Goodnow,       } 
Joseph  Gibbs,  Selectmen. 

Ebenezer  Jones,        )-         of 
Oliver  Davis,  \  Princetown. 

Benjamin  Taynter,  J 

"  In  the  House  of  Representatives,  January  20lh,  1768,  Resolved 
— That  the  Prayer  of  said  Petition  be  granted,   and  that  the 
Tract  of  Land  belonging  to  this  Province   lying  in  Princetown, 
in  the  County  of  Worcester,  called  Wachusett  Hill,  containing 
about  five  Hundred  Acres,  bounded  East  four  Degrees   North 
one  Hundred  and  Sixty  Rods  on  Watertown  Farm,  then  North 
46  Degrees  East  160   Rods  on  said  Watertown   Farm,  then 
North  97  Rods  on  Muzzey's  Farm  now  Keyes's,  then  North  23 
west  70  Rods  on  Benjamin  Houghton's  Land,  then  westerly  135 
Rods  on  said  Houghton's  Land,  then  60  Rods  on  said  Hough- 
ton's Land  to  a  white  Oak  Tree,  then  South  55  west  253  Rods 
on  Westminster  Line  to  a  Red  Oak  Tree,  the  corner  of  Mr. 
Allen's  Farm,  then  East  21  Degrees  South  100  Rods  on   said 
Allen's  Farm,  then  running  on  said   Allen's  Farm  about   190 
Rods  to  the  Bound   first  mentioned ;  be  granted  to   the   said 
Timothy  Fuller,  his  Heirs  and  Assigns   forever,  as  an  encour- 
agement to  him  to  continue  in  the  faithful  Discharge  of  his  Of- 
fice in  said  Princetown — Provided  that  He  or  his  Heirs  pay  their 
Proportion  of  a  Tax  of  two  pence  Per  Acre  for  three  years,  laid 
by  the  General  Court  at  their  Session  in  January,  A.    D.  1760, 
upon  all  unimproved  Lands  in  said  District  of  Princetown. 

"  Sent  up  for  Concurrence,  Thomas  Cushing,  Speaker. 

<(  In  Council,  January  20M,  1768.     Read  and  Concurred, 

A.  Oliver,  Secretary, 

"  Consented  to — Francis  Bernard. 

"  A  true  Copy,  Examined — P.  J.  Cotton,  D.  Secretary. 


200 


APPENDIX. 


[  See  Page  51.  ] 

A   DOCUMEN  T, 

CONTAINING  AN  IMPERFECT  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  fcUMBER  OF 
MEN  FURNISHED  IN  THE  REVOLUTIONARY  WAR,  AT  THE 
EXPENSE  OF  THE  TOWN. 

"Agreeable  to  a  resolve  of  the  general  assembly,  of  the  11th 
of  July,  1783,  The  following  is  the  account  of  the  encourage- 
ment given  to  the  men  which  marched  agreeable  to  the  resolve 
of  said  court : — 

£.  s.  d. 

Dec.  1, 1775,        10  men  marched  to  reinforce  continental  army 80  00  0 

Jan.  20,  1776,       14    «  •«  "  »  33  02  0 

Jan.  24, 1776,       21    "         "        to  New  York  and  Canada 192  06  5 

Aug.  4    "         "         to  Boston 6  00  0 

Sept.  10,  1776,      16    "         "         to  Fort 64  00  0 

Nov.  20,  1776,      16    "         "         to  reinforce  the  army  at  New  York,2560  00  0 
April  12, 1777,       7    "         M         to  reinforce  Gen.  Spencer  at  Rhode 

Island, 50  00  0 

July  16,  1777,         1    "         "         to  guard  stores  at  Brookfield,..  .  .      2  00.0 
Aug.  9, 1777,       14    "         "        northward,  served  three  weeks  un- 
der Gen.  Lincoln 84  00  0 

Aug.  15. 1777,      11    "         "        northward  under  Gen.  Warren.  ..  165  00  0 
40    "         "        in  consequence  of  orders  from  Gen. 

Stark 160  00  0 

Sept.  16, 1777,  "         ♦*        on  expedition  to  R.  I.  30  days 

Sept.  22,  1777,     20    "         "        northward  under  Gen.  Bailey.  .  .  120  00  0 

Dec.  22,  1777,  "         "         to  Rhode  Island 

Feb.  7,  1778,         6    "         "        served  under  Gen  Heath 720  00  0 

Apr.  18,1778,        5    "         "         595  00  0 

June  12, 1778,  "         »«        for  defence  of  R.  Island 

June  16, 1778,  "         "  "  ««  

June  23, 1778,       2    "         «         as  Guards 16  00  0 

July  24,  1778,        4    "         M        to  Rhode  Island, 200  40  0 

July  27,  1778,        7    '«         »         to  "  210  00  0 

^ugl8,  1778,        3    »         M         to  «  90  00  0 

Sept  6,  1778,         4    ?■         "         to  aid  Gen  Sullivan  at  R.  1 240  00  0 

Sept  17, 1778,       4    "         '*        to  guard  Gen  Heath  in  and  at  Boston  200  00  0 

Jan.  1, 1779, 

Jan.  26, 1779, 

March  18,  1779, 

Apr.  14,  1779, 

Apr.  15, 

Apr.  27, 

June  8,  3    «*         H        to  Rhode  Island , 90  00  0 

June  18, 

June  25, 

Sept.  17, 

Oct  9,  9    ♦«         *        to  Claverick,and  guards  to  Rutland,  450  00  0 

Mch.  15,  1780, 

June  22,  12    "         «        to  ye  Continental  Army,  Claverick,    13  10  0 

June  23  2    "         "         

Nov  29,  1780, 

Feb.  28,  1781,       2  privates  went  to  Rutland , 84  00  0 

Aug  I  «r»? 


APPENDIX. 


201 


[  See  Page  68.  ] 

LIST  OF  VOTES  FOR  GOVERNOR  SINCE  1780. 


Years.  Names. 

Votes. 

1780-Hancock 

27 

Bowdoin 

17 

1781-Hancock 

31 

Bowdoin 

1 

1782-Hancock 

16 

Bowdoin 

1 

]7S3-Hancock 

32 

Cushing 

31 

1784-Hancock 

22 

1785-Bowdoin 

31 

dishing 

5 

1786-Bowdoin 

22 

"Cushing 

21 

1767-Hancock 

37 

Bowdoin 

20 

]  788- Han  cock 

121 

Gerry 

.3 

1789-Hancock 

53 

Bowdoin 

52 

J790-Hancock 

47 

Bowdoin 

'S3 

1791-Hancock 

82 

1792-Hancock 

62 

Dana 

5 

1793-Hancock 

52 

Phillips 

5 

1794-Adams 

70 

Gerry 

3 

1795-Adaras 

m 

Gill 

.34 

1796-Adams 

6 

Gill 

S9 

1797-Sumner 

37 

Gill 

77 

1798-Su  inner 

49 

Gill 

17 

1799-Sumner 

87 

Gill 

4 

1300-Strong 

61 

Gill 

43 

1301-Strong 

111 

Gerry 

2 

]802-Strong 

142 

1803-Strong 

114 

Gerry 

2 

1804-Strong 

131 

Genv 

9 

J805-Strong 

142 

Sullivan 

5 

ISOe-Stmns 

152 

.Sullivan 

5 

Years.  Names.      Votes.        Years.  Names.      Votes. 


1807-Strong 

145 

1832-Armstrong 

151 

Sullivan 

11 

Mills 

6 

1808-Gore 

124 

Fuller 

10 

Sullivan 

14 

1833-Davis 

172 

1809-Gore 

148 

Adams 

32 

Lincoln 

13 

Morton 

20 

1810-Gore 

139 

1834-Davis 

170 

Gerry 

17 

Morton 

14 

1811-Gore 

119 

1835-Everett 

139 

Gerry 

15 

Morton 

6 

1812-Strong 

162 

1836-Everett 

155 

Gerry 

20 

Morton 

30 

1813-Strong 

177 

1837-Everett 

141 

V  em  urn 

15 

Morton 

34 

1814-Strong 

184 

1838-Everett 

147 

Dexter 

16 

Morton 

62 

1815-  Strong 

180 

1839-Everett 

130 

Dexter 

16 

Morton 

104 

1816- Brooks 

181 

1840-Davis 

190 

Dexter 

J3 

Morton 

53 

1817-Brooks 

158 

1841-Davis 

135 

Dearborn 

14 

Morton 

50 

1818-Brooks 

163 

1842-Davis 

141 

Crownins 

hield  11 

Morton 

51 

1819-Brooks 

170 

Sewall 

19 

Crownins 

hield  14 

1843-Briggs 

112 

1820- Brooks 

160 

Morton 

57 

Eustis 

U 

Sewall 

51 

1821-Brooks 

143 

1844-Briggs 

162 

Eustis 

14 

Bancroft 

45 

1822-Brooks 

142 

Sewall 

54 

Eustis 

11 

1845-Briggs 

116 

1823-Otis 

113 

Davis 

35 

Eustis 

22 

Sewall 

45 

tin  in  ty 

10 

1846-Briggs 

95 

1824-Latbrop 

178 

Davis 

23 

Eustis 

25 

Sewall 

68 

1825-Lincoln 

92 

1847-Briggs 

96 

Morton 

101 

Cushing 

35 

1826-Lincolu 

24 

Sewall 

50 

Lloyd 

181 

1848-Briggs 

64 

9.827-Liocola 

.79 

Cushing 

14 

Jar  vis 

4 

Phillips 

129 

1828-Lincoln 

106 

1849-Briggs 

61 

1829-Lincoln 

'J  4 

Boutvvell 

27 

Morton 

7 

Phillips 

100 

Afkin 

7 

1850-Briggs 

69 

1830-Lincoln 

109 

Boutvvell 

24 

Morton 

27 

Phillips 

100 

1831-Lincoln 

101 

1851-Winthrop 

79 

Morton 

5 

Boutvvell 

33 

Palirey 

108 

18 


02  APPENDIX. 


MUNICIPAL  OFFICERS  FROM  1760  TO  1852. 

T  When  this  mark  (  -  )  is  placed  between  the  dates,  it  indicates  that  the  per- 
son was  elected  in  the  years  succeeding,  from  first  to  last.] 

Town  Clerks. — Dr.  Zachariah  Harvey  1760,  '1  ;  Caleb 
Mirick  1762, '70, '1 ;  Samuel  Woods  1763;  Peter  Goodnow 
1764,  5,  7;  Boaz  Moore  1766  ;  Ephraim  Woolson  1768,  9,  72, 
3,5,8;  William  Richardson  1774;  James  Mirick  1776,  7; 
William  Dodds  1779-93,  '97-1814  ;  John  Dana  1794-6 ;  Arte- 
mas  How  1815-18;  Jonas  Hartwell  1819,  20;  Erasmus  D. 
Goodnowl836;  Charles  Russell  1821-35,  37-49;  David  H. 
Gregory  1850-2. 


Selectmen. — Peter  Goodnow  1760,  4,  5,  7  ;  Abijah  Moore 
1760, 1,  3  ;  Dr.  Zachariah  Harvey  1760,  1 ;  Joseph  Gibbs  1760, 
1,  3,  7,  8,  70;  Timothy  Moseman  1761,  2;  Eliphalet  How 
1762;  Boaz  Moore  1762,  3,  6,  70-2,  8,  81-92;  Robert  Keyes 
1762;  Caleb  Mirick  1762,70,1,  1808,9;  Ebenezer  Jones  1763, 
6-72,4-6;  Samuel  Woods  1763;  Benjamin  Holden  1764,  9, 
73,  80-2,  90,  1 ;  Stephen  Brigham  1764,  5,  8,  71,  5-7;  Tilly 
Littlejohns  1764;  William  Muzzev  1764,  9;  Sadey  Mason 
1765,6,78-91 ;  Wm.  Thompson  1765, 6, 72-7;  Benjamin  Tayn- 
ter  1765,7;  Robert  Cowden  1766;  Oliver  Davis  1767  ;  Ephraim 
Woolson  1768, 9,  72. 3,  5,  8 ;  Adonijah  Howe  1768, 76.  7, 9,1818; 
Jos.  Sargent  1769, 70, 8, 82-5,1807, 8;  Jas.  Mirick  1771,  6, 7;  Jas. 
Phelps  1772  ;  Paul  Matthews  1773,  80 ;  Jos.  Eveleth  1773,  5,  81 
5,  1809  ;  William  Richardson  1774  :  Charles  Brooks  1774,  80  ; 
ElbhaHobbs  1777,9,  94,5;  Samuel  Hastings  1778,  1810-12; 
Ephraim  Hartwell  1779 ;  Abraham  Gale  1779;  John  Mirick 
1780  ;  Asa  Whitcomb  1781  ;  William  Dodds  178:3-93,6, 1807  ; 
Abner  How  1786-89;  Ebenezer  Parker  1786-92,  6-8,  1804, 
5  ;  Abijah  Harrington  1792,  3, 6,  7  ;  Ephraim  Mirick  1792,  3; 
Isaac  Hartwell  1793-5;  David  Rice,  1793-1800,  4-7;  John 
Dana  1794,  5,  1801-9;  John  Watson  1794,  5;  Jonas  Beaman 
1796-9;  Andrew  Whitney  1798-1800,  4-6;  Samuel  Dadman 
1799-1802;  Ephraim  Wilson  1800-3;  Amos  Meriam  1801-3, 
23-9:  Birtholomew  Cheever  1803;  Simon  Divis  1803-9; 
Samuel  Stratton,  1808,  9;  Joshua  Eveleth,  1810-12;  Charles 
Mirick  1810-12 ;  Benjamin  Harrington  1810;  Artemis  How 
1810-15;  Jonas  B.-ooks  181 1-14;  Simuel  Stpvenson  1813-17; 
Jonas  Hartw,-ll  1813-20;  Samuel  Brooks  1813;  Israel  How  Jr. 
1814-16,20-2;  William  Everett  1814,  15;  Henrv  Prentiss 
1815:  Calvin  Bullock  1716.  17;  Azor  Maynard  1816;  Jacob 
W.  Watson  1816-18,  28,  9,  36.  7,  49;  Moses  Ilobbs  1317,  18; 


APPENDIX.  203 

Josiah  Cutting  1817,  18  ;  Nahum  Wilder  1818  ;  Israel  Howe 
1819,20;  Joshua  Temple  1819;  Thomas  Wilder  1819*;  Mo- 
ses Bullard  1819-22;  John  Mirick,  Jr.  1820,  1;  Clark  Mirick 
1820-2;  Joseph  Mason  1821,7,  30,6;  Ephraim  Mirick,  Jr. 
1822-7;  John  H.  Brooks  1823-9,  36;  Moses  G.  Cheever 
1823-8,  30,1;  Gamaliel  Beaman  1828,9;  Ebenezer  Parker, 
Jr.  1829;  Rufus  Davis  1830-2 ;  John  Whitney  1830-5  ;  Israel 
Everett  1830-33,  40-2 ;  Enoch  Brooks  1831-3;  Caleb  Dana 
1832-4,7,8;  Harlow  Skinner  1834-6;  Nathan  Meriam  1834, 
5  ;  Joshua  T.  Everett  1834,  5;  Daniel  Parker  1835,45;  Alfred 
Beaman  1836,7;  Sewall  Mirick  1837,8;  John  L.  Boylston 
1837-9  ;  William  How  1838,  9  ;  John  Brooks,  1838-45,  7  8  ; 
Henry  Boyles  1839-41,  9,  50 ;  Jonas  Brooks,  Jr.  1839-41 ;  Ed- 
ward A.  Goodnow  1840,1;  Erasmus  D.  Goodnow  1842,3; 
Alphonso  Brooks  1843,4,  6,  7;  Charles  Russell  1844-6;  D.vid 
H.  Gregory  1846-8 ;  Ebenezer  Smith  1848,  9 ;  Asa  H.  God- 
dard  1850,  1  ;  Solon  S.  Hastings  1850,  1  ;  William  H.  Brown 
1851,  2;  Charles  A.  Mirick  1852;  George  O.  Skinner  1852. 


Assessors. — Zachariah  Harvey  1761 ;  Abijah  Moore  1761 5 
Peter  Goodnow  1761;  Joseph  Eveleth,  1762-4,  7 ;  Boaz 
Moore  1762,  3,  70-2,  87  ;  Caleb  Mirick  1762;  Samuel  Woods 
1763,  4,  7,  70,  2,  3,  5,  6,  8,  9,  83,  4  ;  Thomas  Mason  1764-6,  8, 
9,71,  3,  6-81,  5,  6,  94-9;  Robert  Cowden  1765;  William 
Muzzey  1765,6,8,9;  Adonijah  Howe  1767;  Ebenezer  Jones 
1768;  Joseph  Sargent  1769,70;  James  Mirick  1771;  John 
Jones  1772,  4,  5 ;  Benjamin  Holden  1773 ;  Enoch  Brooks 
1774-8 ;  William  Richardson  1774;  William  Dodds  1777, 
80-93,  5-1809;  James  Curtis  1779,80;  Humphrey  Moore 
1781,8-90;  Ephraim  Hartwell  1782;  .Ebenezer  Parker  1782- 
93,  1796-1805;  Michsel  Gill  1791  ;  David  Rice  1792  3,1806- 
9,  18.  19;  John  Dana  1794,  1802-9;  Timothy  Fuller  1794,  5  ; 
John  Roper  1800,1;  John  Moore  1810,  11;  Joseph  Mason 
1810-13,21-6,  30;  Artemas  How  1810-19;  Jonas  Hartwell 
1812-20;  Samuel  Stephenson,  1814-17;  Moses  Hobbs  1820- 
3;  Ephraim  Mirick  1820-6;  Charles  Mirick  1824;  Amos  Mer- 
iam 1825-9  ;  Ephraim  Mirick,  2d  1S27;  John  Whitney  1827-9, 
32-5,  7-9,  44,  5;  Jacob  W.Watson  1828,9  ;  Moses  G.  Cheev- 
er 1830,1,6;  R-ifus  Davis  1830-2,  48,  50;  Israel  Everett 
1832,  3.  7-9.  44,  50  ;  Harlow  Skinner  1833,  4;  Joshua  T.  Eve- 
rett 1834,  5  ;  Nathan  Meriam  1835  ;  Hamilton  Wilson,  1836-9  ; 
WilliamS.  Everett  1836;  John  B.ooks  1840,  1,  50;  Joseph 
Meriam  1840-3  ;  Caleb  Dana  1840  ;  Charles  B.  Temple  1841-4; 
Joseph  Hartwell  1812,3;  Asa  H.  Goddard  1845-7;  Marshall 
Meriam  1845;  Calebs.  Mirick  1846,8;  George   O.   Skinner 


204  APPENDIX. 

1846,?;  Ephraim  Beaman  1847;  Phineas  E.  Gregory  1848; 
Jonas  Biooks,  Jr.  1849;  Frederick  Parker  1849,51,2;  Win. 
D.  Cheever  1849,  51,  2:  Henry  Boyles  1851;  Joseph  Whit- 
eomb  1852. 


Town  Treasurers. — Peter  Goodnow  1761 ;  James  Mirick 
1762,  3 ;  Timothy  Keyes  1764,  5 ;  Sadey  Mason  1766 ;  Joseph 
Sargent  1767,  70,  1 ;  Abner  Howe  1768, 9 ;  Joseph  Eveleth 
1772,3;  Robert  Cowden  1774-7;  Charles  Brooks  1778;  Jo* 
seph  Haynes  1779;  Enoch  Brooks  1780-1812,  14-16;  David 
Rice  1813;  Benjamin  Harrington  1817-21;  Thomas  Wilder 
1822;  Jacob  W.  Watson  1823.  4 ;  Jonas  Brooks  1825-33; 
Charles  Mirick  1826,  32;  Moses  G.  Cheever  1827-30,  42; 
John  Brooks  1831 :  Jacob  W.  Watson  1834-6;  Joseph  Mason 
1837-41;  Daniel  Howe  1843,4;  Alphonso  Brooks  1845-8; 
Warren  Patridge  1849;  Joseph  A.  Read  1850-2. 


Representat-ive-3. — Moses  Gill  1780, 4-95 ;  Asa  Whitcomb 
1783:  Ebenezer  Parker  1797.8,1800;  David  Rice  1801,  2, 
13-18,  21 ;  John  Dana  1804,  5,  12;  William  Dodd*.  1806,  8- 
11;  Ephraim  Mirick,  Jr.  1823;  Charles  Russell  1826-32  ;  Josh  • 
ua  T.  Everett  1833,  5  ;  Jonathan  Whitney  1834 ;  John  Brooks 
1835,6;  John  Whitney  1836;  Alphonso  Brooks  1838;  Sewall 
Mirick  1839,  45;  Ebenezer  Parker  1840-2;  Israel  Everett 
1843,  44;  Caleb  S.  Mirick  1847;  Henry  Boyles,  1848;  Eben- 
ezer Smith  1849:  Ephraim  Beaman  1850 :  Luther  Crawford 
185L 


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